By Franklin Asare-Donkoh
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has been directed by President John Dramani Mahama to lead a team to conduct immediate investigations into allegations that the Amansie Central District Assembly has been collecting fees from illegal miners operating banned mining equipment.
The announcement was made by the Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, in a post on X.
The directive follows the broadcast of an investigative Hotline Documentary by Accra-based JoyNews, which alleged the existence of a “tax for galamsey” system in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region. According to the report, illegal miners allegedly pay GH₵6,000 annually to operate prohibited changfang machines, with the tacit approval of local authorities.
The documentary alleged that despite a nationwide ban on the use of changfangs, mechanised floating platforms that wash gold directly in water bodies, the district assembly had formed a task force to issue stickers and levy taxes on the banned equipment.
The investigation further presented evidence of what it described as a structured payment system in which miners are charged thousands of cedis annually, effectively allowing them to continue operations that pollute major water bodies.
A revenue officer identified in the documentary as “Red” was shown in recordings allegedly collecting payments from operators of the prohibited equipment.
In response, the Amansie Central District Assembly denied establishing any system intended to profit from illegal mining activities. The Assembly said the collection of revenue from operators of earth-moving equipment predates the current administration and has been in place since 2008.
“The current administration did not introduce this system. It inherited an already existing administrative arrangement,” the Assembly said, describing the documentary as a misrepresentation of an old practice presented to support what it termed a “convenient political narrative”.
The Assembly maintained that the revenue collection is based on a bylaw passed in 2008 and stated that all funds collected are paid directly into its official account at Odotobri Rural Bank.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Minister received a petition from JoyNews on the matter and assured the media organisation that the concerns raised would be investigated promptly.
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Source:
www.gbcghanaonline.com