Joseph Yamin (left) and Yakubu Abanga
The Attorney General (AG) and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine has directed the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate allegations of illegal mining (galamsey) made against two officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The AG, in a letter dated July 15, 2025, named NDC National Organiser, Joseph Yamin and Third Vice Chairman, Yakubu Abanga as the persons of intertest who are to be investigated for their alleged involvement in galamsey related activities that has drawn public criticism in recent weeks.
“I am directing your office to invite the following persons named in recent credible reports for interrogation, namely, Mr. Yakubu Abanga and Mr. Joseph Yamin,” the letter directed at the Executive Director of EOCO, Raymond Archer, read in part.
Dr. Ayine indicated that the directive is borne out of growing public concern, corroborated by media reports and intelligence, regarding the involvement of some citizens in unauthorised mining operations that are in blatant contravention of the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995.
“These activities not only flout our mining regulations but also gravely endanger our water bodies, forest reserves, and local livelihoods,” he pointed out.
Aside the two, the Attorney General has also directed EOCO to investigate any other persons found to be complicit in these unlawful mining activities.
He further directed that the scope of the investigation should include the matters highlighted in the Prof. Frimpong Boateng’s report on illegal mining.
Dr. Ayine concluded with the hope that EOCO will treat the matter with the urgency and gravity it deserves, in order to uphold the rule of law and ensure the integrity of Ghana’s extractive governance framework.
Rogue Taskforce
A group of concerned small-scale miners have levelled serious allegations against key figures within the ruling NDC and senior military officers, accusing them of operating a shadowy anti-galamsey taskforce that is ‘terrorising’ miners and extorting money under the guise of enforcing illegal mining laws.
Chairman of the Concerned Small Scale Mining Group in Ghana (CSSMGG), Andrew Abban, alleged that Joseph Yamin, the National Organiser of the NDC, and Yakubu Abanga, the party’s Third Vice-Chairperson, are names mostly cited by operatives of the parallel taskforce harassing small-scale miners in the various regions.
“We have information that these operatives use the names of some National Democratic Congress party executives to extort monies. Common names that are mentioned by these parallel taskforce assigns have been Joseph Yamin, the National Organiser of the NDC and Yakubu Abanga, Third Vice-Chairperson of the NDC and others,” he said.
The miners expressed disbelief that individuals closely linked to the ruling party would be implicated in actions that undermine the government’s own fight against illegal mining.
“We are also surprised that rather than helping us to carry out our legitimate business, some persons within the ruling NDC are aiding the activities of these unscrupulous persons posing as parallel taskforce against galamsey to destroy our businesses,” Mr. Abban said.
The group lamented that the actions of these politically connected individuals have created an environment of fear and lawlessness in the mining sector, forcing many small-scale miners to flee their sites.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak