Opinions of Saturday, 13 May 2023

Columnist: Joel Savage

Attorney General Godfred Dame and Paul Adom-Otchere responsible for illegal mining

Galamsey has now been more rampant in recent times Galamsey has now been more rampant in recent times

The Chinese have taken advantage of Africa's weak judicial system and its friendly populace to penetrate African nations in quest of precious gems and stones, including gold and diamonds. This is a global problem, not just an unresolved issue in Ghana. Everyone accuses them of destroying the ecosystems, waterways, and the environment of Africa, but did the Chinese illegal miners suddenly come from another planet to invade Africa?

Ghanaian leaders, including politicians and chiefs, enabled the Chinese who are currently destroying the country. These Chinese have access to resources in Ghana that they are illegally mining, and those who have permitted them to do so receive a share of the profits. "When a rope is being pulled and it stops in the middle, then you should know that something is holding on to it at its end." That’s a Ghanaian proverb.

The main issue in Ghana has been illegal mining, which has been difficult to combat since the law makes it difficult to bring perpetrators to justice and, more crucially, because those in positions of authority sometimes participate in the malpractices. Fighting any form of corruption in Ghana has proven fruitless because many elected officials and judges support it because they have been appointed by the ruling party. Corrupt behaviour will decline if it is denounced.

Since Nana Akufo Addo appointed Paul Adom-Otchere to lead the airport facilities, he has consistently defended the president's crimes and as a result, the fight against corruption in the country hasn't advanced. Imagine that yesterday the country's attorney general arrived to defend the president's offences related to his involvement in illicit mining. According to Godfred Dame, Ghanaians shouldn't take Prof. Frimpong Boateng's report on the president’s involvement in illegal mining seriously.

Therefore, if you are an intelligent person in Ghana, you should question why Akufo Addo completely ignored a report Prof. Boateng submitted to him in 2021, about the destruction of the nation through illegal mining, but the Attorney General will denounce it when Kevin Taylor, the host of "Loud Silence TV," takes it seriously enough to broadcast it. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera, the international media, has exposed the same president for engaging in unlawful gold trading, named “Gold Mafia.”

In a news article by ModernGhana with the headline "Goaso: Illegal miners shoot lady's private part, injure seven others," I didn't blame those responsible for that crime. I hold all of the NPP politicians accountable, including the president, Nana Akufo Addo, and the local chiefs. The president is in charge of everything that happens in his country and since he can’t handle everything, he appointed ministers to assist him. Therefore; if the president claims that he is unaware that illicit Chinese miners are operating in the country, that means he is incompetent.

An intelligent, wise, and alert leader must be on guard and aware of his surroundings, or terrorists or coup plotters can simply enter the country and overturn the government. Therefore, if Akufo Addo is unaware that certain Ghanaians have been hired with guns to guard unlicensed Chinese miners in the nation, this demonstrates Ghana is under an uncaring and incompetent leader, and I am not surprised that the nation has submerged, despite its abundant riches.


Illegal mining has decimated Ghana as a nation, due to corruption or greed, and many children are currently born with malformations in the country's severely afflicted mining areas. A pathologist claims that "Babies in the "Galamsey" area are being born without their private parts and with only one eye,” and that "Children between the ages of 12 and 15 are dying of hypertension-related diseases." Since illicit mining has a severe impact, these malformations or deformities may last a very long time.

I don't feel at ease when I read such depressing news; instead, I become enraged with people like Paul Adom-Otchere and Godfred Dame. The country would be in much better shape today if they had taken their positions seriously and refrained from defending the atrocities of the NPP or Akufo Addo. It is not because Akufo Addo appointed them; hence they must defend his crimes to keep their jobs, that is utter nonsense.

I want to take this opportunity to remind IGP George Dampare, Paul Adom-Otchere, Godred Dame, Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and everyone else working for Akufo Addo's government that they allowed Chinese illegal miners to wreck our nation. Since no African has ever been able to do that in any region of China, I will place the blame on them and not the illegal miners.