A fierce political rebuttal erupted in the Ashanti Region yesterday after Mr. Isham Alhassan, the NDC’s Regional Organiser and Political Coordinator, released a sharp statement dismissing widespread claims that Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene is tied to illegal mining networks. Returning from an official trip abroad, Mr. Alhassan addressed the media to correct what he insisted were deliberate distortions targeting the Minister.
According to him, the accusations have no factual grounding and clash entirely with the Minister’s record. He argued that Dr. Amoakohene has spent his tenure doing the exact opposite of what he is being accused of—leading environmental protection efforts and pushing for regulated, responsible mining across the region.
To support his point, he referenced the Minister’s involvement in calming tensions between Asanko Mining Company Ltd. and residents of Amansie South, describing it as one of several examples of his hands-on engagement in resolving mining-related conflicts. He further pointed to an earlier diplomatic visit to China, during which the Minister publicly warned Chinese nationals engaged in illegal mining in Ghana to stay away from river bodies and forest reserves.
Mr. Alhassan insisted that the Minister has also been at the forefront of land reclamation and forest restoration initiatives in the Ashanti Region. For him, these ongoing efforts make the accusations look like an intentional attempt to derail the Minister’s work and discredit a man he described as committed to good governance.
In a bold move rarely seen in Ghanaian politics, the Organiser issued a challenge to the nation: anyone who can produce credible proof that the Minister has a hand in galamsey should bring it forward. He went a step further by staking his own position on the matter, stating that he would resign immediately if such evidence ever surfaced.
He also accused political opponents—particularly those who believe the Minister’s performance is weakening the NPP’s hold on the region—of trying to destroy his rising influence. According to him, the attacks are driven not by truth but by fear of the Minister’s effectiveness. He warned these unnamed actors that their attempts to derail Dr. Amoakohene’s progress would fail.
But his caution did not stop with the opposing party. Mr. Alhassan turned inward, hinting that some figures within the NDC may also be uncomfortable with the young Minister’s growing stature. He urged internal critics to put aside personal agendas, arguing that Dr. Amoakohene deserves protection, not sabotage, from his own party members. Describing him as a “small boy with a big God,” he warned that backroom scheming would not succeed against him.
Mr. Alhassan closed with a final emphatic declaration, repeating that anyone with proof of wrongdoing should step forward and that he would vacate his post the very day such proof is produced. He appealed to the public to ignore misinformation and focus on the government’s ongoing development agenda, promising that the Minister’s integrity would be duly defended.
