Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country are demanding the immediate dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi.
The CSOs—namely A Rocha Ghana, Kasa Initiative, Nature and Development Foundation, and the Concerned Citizens of Atewa—believe that the current leadership of the Commission has woefully failed in tackling the illegal mining menace in the country.
The recent surge in illegal mining activities in Ghana has led to the destruction of water bodies, land degradation, and adverse impacts on food and water security, public health, international trade, and national security.
Addressing a news conference in Accra on Friday (March 7), spokesperson for the CSOs and Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, said: “The current leadership of the Minerals Commission has failed to ensure responsible mining practices that safeguard social and environmental protections across the country.”
“We call on the government to, as a matter of urgency, replace the Executive Director of the Minerals Commission with a visionary leader who will usher in a new era of responsible mining.”
“This new leadership must prioritize transparency, accountability, and the enforcement of regulations that safeguard the social and environmental well-being of all citizens while protecting communities from the adverse effects of exploring Ghana’s rich mineral deposits,” he added.
The CSOs also condemned the recent arrest, manhandling, and detention of a Forestry Commission staff member—a member of the Rapid Response Task Force of the Forestry Commission—who was carrying out actions to prevent illegal mining in the Atewa Forest near the Obuoho area.
“The arrest, manhandling, and detention of a Forestry Commission staff member for undertaking actions to prevent illegal mining in the Atewa Forest constitute an abuse of power and demoralize other state agencies with supportive functions in securing critical national assets and public goods.”
“These are public officers exercising their legally mandated duty to take all necessary steps to protect forest reserves in Ghana,” he stated.
Below is the full statement:
Below is the full statement:
Press Statement Galamsey 2025[1] by Fred Dzakpata on Scribd
