Michael Anum

As I revealed on TV3 yesterday, the government officials we are calling on to ban all forms of small scale mining so we end the galamsey mass murder are rather shockingly and defiantly directly incorporating more mining companies and obtaining fresh licenses to mine gold. The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Mpohor, Hon. Ignatius Asaah Mensah registered a sole proprietorship on October 18, 2023 by name JKcem Mining. Hon. Ignatius Asaah Mensah hurriedly applied for a gold mining license on 17th November, 2023. His application was promptly approved by the Minerals Commission and the Lands Minister. His license code is: SSML-T2 12/2024. The Mpohor DCE’s gold mining license gave him the green light to commence gold mining within the Odumase-K9/Mpohor concession on 9th August, 2024. Instructively, the area of this concession is under his jurisdiction as DCE. The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Amenfi East, Hon. Frederick Korankye also registered Kofreze Construction and Engineering Limited on 7th April, 2017. On 17th January, 2023, Hon. Frederick Korankye decided to directly apply for a gold mining license. His application was promptly approved by the Minerals Commission and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. The MCE’s license with the code: SSML-AS2 5/2024 allows him to actively mine gold since 21st March, 2024 within Wassa Amenfi East where he serves as MCE. The heads of the metropolitan, municipal and district security councils we are hoping will carry out our demands by banning all forms of small scale mining are themselves active participants in the killer enterprise. One can now better appreciate why there has been no real fight by government against irresponsible mining. It is also obvious that the reason why many people in these mining communities feel so emboldened to continue with their environmental destruction is because they know their “big men” who should stop them are equally guilty. When NPP politicians claim they fear they will lose parliamentary seats, know that is a diversion. The real fear is about the money they will lose as direct beneficiaries. If the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government were serious about confronting the galamsey menace, none of their MMDCEs would be allowed to actively engage in small scale mining, no matter what justification they may create. What a sorry republic! See attached incontrovertible incorporation documents from the Office of the Registrar of Companies and evidence of mining licenses from the Ghana Mining Repository. It is equally depressing and an utter betrayal to additionally observe that on October 3, 2024 while President Akufo-Addo was meeting the leadership of Organised Labour and seeking to talk them out of their consequential and life-saving anti-galamsey strike, his government approved 11 new mining licenses with an October 3, 2024 mining start date. (The same day he was meeting the labour leaders). Details of the 11 companies and their approved licenses plus the 12 fresh licenses recklessly approved in September 2024 are duly attached in the spirit of transparency and accountability. If the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government had any respect for Ghanaians and valued our lives, they would at the very least have long suspended the approval of new licenses as we collectively figure out how to deal with the current existential threat. Clearly, when a government becomes the real enemy, anti-galamsey protesters will be subjected to such disgraceful human right violations as we continue to witness. These traumatizing latest developments should strengthen the resolve of Organised Labour not to back down until their demands are met. Thankfully, Ghanaians have always defeated tyrants, oppressors and plunderers! #FreeTheCitizensNow #StopGalamseyNow