President Akufo-Addo, Aisha Huang
President Akufo-Addo has backed the decision of the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, to prosecute Aisha Huang, a notorious player in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to the President, Aisha should be prosecuted together with her collaborators, and if found guilty, they should be made to face the full rigours of the law; particularly the new Act 995.
Act 995 is an amendment of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) to increase the penalties for “a person who buys or sells minerals without a licence or a valid authority or engages in mining contrary to a provision of the Act and to provide for related matters.”
Under this Act, which was passed in 2019, persons engaging in illegal mining are liable to 15 to 25 years of custodial sentences, thus an improvement from the minimal penalties and custodial sentences in the old Act.
The President made this assertion in Ho when he addressed the Annual Conference of Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and reiterated the same during an interview on a local radio station, Stone City Radio. The interview was streamed on other stations across the region.
President Akufo-Addo noted that a lot of unpublicised activities are ongoing to curb illegal mining activities in the country, which are bearing good fruits.
These include the community mining initiative, the non-mercury mining project, and the constant arrest of illegal miners.
These initiatives will only be successful with the support of the public. It is therefore commendable that the arrest of Aisha Huang was based on a tip-off from neighbours.
Such collaboration is necessary to curb all forms of crime in the country, especially criminal elements that infiltrate the country through the numerous unapproved routes along the country’s borders.
Godfred Yeboah Dame, before the President’s endorsement, had indicated that Ms. Huang would be prosecuted for her alleged involvement in illegal mining.
The President of the GBA, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, also expressed worry over the effects of illegal mining on the country; environment, lives, and economy.
He said the GBA condemns illegal mining in no uncertain terms, stressing the time has come for action to be taken against perpetrators of galamsey irrespective of background, connection, or status.
“The time has come for foreigners, like Aisha Huang to take the laws of Ghana seriously. Such persons must be dealt with according to the law,” he noted.
The GBA Conference is on the theme: “Ghana’s Democracy Under the Fourth Republic – Gains, Challenges, and Prospects.”
It opened on Monday, September 12, 2022, and is expected to end on Friday, September 16, 2022.
FROM Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)