Former Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has called for stronger and genuinely independent energy regulators to protect Africa’s long-term energy future.
He made the appeal at the launch of Energy Regulation in Africa, a new book authored by former PURC Executive Secretary Dr. Ishmael Ackah and Dr. Charly Gatete. The event took place at the British Council in Accra on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
The publication brings together insights from 71 experts across 40 African countries, exploring regulatory reforms, governance structures, investment conditions, and the growing demand for independent oversight in the power and petroleum sectors.
Addressing participants, Opoku Prempeh warned that the continent risks repeating avoidable and costly mistakes if regulatory institutions remain weak or subject to political interference.
“We often call for independent regulators, or we let our regulators be independent.
That is right, but independence is not the same as autonomy,” he said. “Autonomy suggests action without accountability. Independence is more demanding, and that includes fairness.”He explained that an independent regulator “listens but is not influenced or controlled,” adding that such bodies must “respect government policy but not surrender their mandate.
”Opoku Prempeh emphasised that true regulatory independence requires governments to provide clear mandates, stable financing, and consistent adherence to due process. Regulators, he said, must also understand the weight of their decisions on investment flows, consumer protection, and national economic stability.
“Their authority must therefore be exercised in transparency, responsibility, and partnerships,” he noted.Source:Jerry Jeffrey Fiifi Annan
Ghana will be marking Farmers’ Day on Friday 5th December. It is a shame that charges against the Atronsu activists, including a cocoa farmer, who were arrested on Farmers’ Day last year for allegedly burning two excavators, which they deny burning, have not been dropped.
The upcoming Farmers’ Day is an opportunity to once again remind the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police of our petition (https://bit.ly/Atronsu5Petition): we respectfully ask that the charges against the #Atronsu5 are dropped and that an investigation is launched into why anti-illegal mining activists are being prosecuted while the illegal miners, who were destroying farmlands and water bodies, walk free.
The Atronsu5 were protecting their farmlands and the Atronsu Stream, the only source of drinking water in the community from irresponsible mining. To the best of our knowledge, no one has been charged with polluting the Atronsu Stream. The Atronsu activists take the view that polluting the once pristine Atronsu Stream is a crime against humanity.
The Court case, which they perceive as intimidation, is stressful and a drain on their meagre finances.
At a time when Ghana is on the verge of an ecological catastrophe and faces an existential crisis – with our water bodies poisoned, forests decimated, scientific tests confirming that our food is laced with toxins, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital reporting a fourfold surge in kidney disease cases, maternal mortality, a rise in birth deformities, 2.5 million peasant farmers at the risk of losing their livelihood, and the destruction of cocoa farms – it is an absolute disgrace that activists who courageously oppose reckless and irresponsible mining are allegedly being targeted and intimidated.
It is disappointing that there has been no response to the petitions delivered to the Attorney General (AG) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Like Jema Anti-Galamsey Advocacy (JAGA), the Atronsu activists are protecting their landscape from irresponsible mining, but sadly they don’t have a visionary chief, like Jema’s Nana Enoku Annor II and a Community Champion and spiritual leader like Father Dr Joseph Blay.
Under their leadership, Jema has successfully resisted all forms of mining, protected their forests and farmlands, kept their water bodies pristine and formed a Farming Cooperative. They are producing organic food free from mercury and other poisons.
At at time when a video posted online is doing the rounds, showing illegal miners wantonly destroying a cocoa farm, we must not pay lip service to Farmers Day – let’s honour farmers and those protecting our farmlands.
We respectfully call on the AG to drop charges against the Atronsu activists, and the IGP to cause the matter to be investigated. Ghanaians need an explanation as to why there have been no charges against the illegal miners.
Traditional leaders in Hwediem have thrown their weight behind President John Mahama’s renewed fight against illegal mining while calling for the immediate release of innocent residents swept up in last month’s joint police–military mass arrest in the Ahafo Region.
The dawn security operation in Kenyasi (Asutifi North) and Hwediem (Asutifi South) followed reports that operatives of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) had been held hostage at the Hwediem Police Station. The confrontation sparked national concern about rising tensions between state-backed anti-galamsey teams and groups of unidentified youth.
More than 150 people were arrested during the raids, transported to Kumasi and remanded for two weeks as investigations continued.
Addressing journalists in Hwediem, the Mawerehene, Baffour Nsia-Awuah, reaffirmed the Traditional Council’s commitment to the government’s intensified anti-galamsey drive.
“We support the President’s resolve to restore discipline in our natural resource sector,” he said.
“Illegal mining threatens our water bodies, our security, and our collective future. The Traditional Council stands firmly with the government in this fight.He assured that the chiefs would work closely with security agencies to maintain peace and protect the environment.
“Anyone who appeared in that viral video threatening NAIMOS personnel and returns to Hwediem will be handed over to the police without hesitation,” he warned.
“We cannot allow a few individuals, many of them non-natives, to tarnish the long-standing reputation of our town.”
The Adontenhene, Baffour Kyei Anarfi, appealed for the release of what he described as “innocent bystanders” affected by the mass arrests.
“Among those detained were travellers, workers, roadside preachers, and even patients going to the hospital,” he said.
“We humbly appeal to the President, as Commander-in-Chief, to ensure that innocent persons do not continue to suffer unjustly.”He emphasised that while the community supports the crackdown, law enforcement must be conducted with fairness and discretion.
Seeking to protect the town’s image, the Benkumhene, Nana Asirifi Gyimah Dadeako, dismissed claims that Hwediem is becoming a security hotspot.
“Hwediem has always been a peaceful town, welcoming traders, investors and travellers from all parts of the country, including foreign companies,” he said.
“This is a district capital and a major transit route. We reject any attempt to portray our community as violent or unsafe.”He encouraged businesses to remain confident in Hwediem as a safe environment for investment and commerce.Baffour Nsia-Awuah reiterated the chiefs’ commitment to preventing future disturbances.
“What happened was unlawful, unacceptable and deeply disrespectful,” he said.
“We condemn it without reservation. The Traditional Council does not condone any form of unlawful behaviour.”He reaffirmed that the chiefs remain dedicated to promoting peace, development and respect for the rule of law in Hwediem and across the region.Source: Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi
The head pastor of the Caravan of Prayer Outreach Ministry at Gyinyase in the Asokwa Constituency of Ashanti, Apostle Johnson Ackah Braimah, has strongly condemned an attack meted out to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat (NAIMOS) task force in their national duties to halt galamsey. He said the work of NAIMOS is indeed commendable, as it is helping the country to fight against illegal mining to preserve our lands and water bodies, and it must get the full support from every citizen instead of being attacked.
Apostle Braimah in an interview explained that though NAIMOS officials have been receiving brutalities and attacks in some communities like Ahafo Kenyase and other areas, he praised them for acting professionally for not defending themselves through guns.
Apostle Johnson Ackah Braimah
He said the fight against galamsey has become tough and difficult but urged the government to go back to the drawing table and restrategise things in order to win the galamsey fight. According to Apostle Braimah, the win against the galamsey fight is not about giving the freedom to use guns against those doing galamsey by the national task force.
He explained that urging the task force to use guns to chase illegal miners, as some people are proposing, should never be the alternative.”Those who are doing galamsey in their areas are very familiar with all accessible roads, and by the time you decide to attack them, they have already attacked and killed you.” He added.
He praised the government for setting up the reclamation initiative, as this will go a long way to reclaim our lost lands
Apostle Braimah also suggested that the government should introduce a special tax so that an amount of money could be deducted into the state accounts from the operators of the illegal mines so that these funds are used to reclaim the affected land areas.On the recent military recruitment stampede at El Wak that led to the death of six Ghanaians,
Apostle Braimah praised President John Dramani Mahama for ordering the Defence Ministry to give the deceased families an opportunity to select one qualified person for automatic replacement recruitment.
He suggested that, to avoid future reoccurrence, the government could introduce what he called “catch them young”, where those who have been receiving cadet training at the senior high schools could be given the opportunity to be selected into our security agencies.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has arrested one Wendell Nana Yaw Yeboah following a petition submitted by three regional ministers over what they describe as false and damaging galamsey allegations.
According to a police statement issued on Wednesday, November 26, the petition was filed by Daniel Sasu Omari and two others on behalf of the Ashanti, Eastern, and Western Regional Ministers.
The petition requested a full investigation into claims allegedly made by the suspect.
Following the petition, CID operatives moved swiftly to pick up Wendell Nana Yaw Yeboah, who is currently in police custody, assisting with investigations.
Police say the suspect will be arraigned tomorrow, Thursday, November 27, 2025.
The statement, signed by Chief Inspector Brigitte Babanawo of the CID Public Relations Unit, assured the public that the investigation will be conducted in accordance with the law.Source: Myjoyonline.com
The Ashanti Democrat, a vibrant pressure group based in Kumasi, has jumped to the defence of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, and the Western and Eastern regional ministers over their alleged involvement in illegal mining, popularly known in Ghana as ‘galamsey’.
Jerry James Sukah aka Papa Jay speaking to journalists
The group consider the accusations not only daring but extremely serious.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, 21st November, 2025, at Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, the President of the Ashanti Democrat, Mr Jerry James Sukah, said the group believes that the integrity of hard-working public servants must be protected at all costs
.It would be recalled that, on 18th November, 2025, allegations were made by Mr Wendell Nana Yaw Yeboah, head of Mobilisation at Democratic Hub, during a live broadcast on Aluta FM (92.1 MHz).
Jerry James Sukah
He accused the Ashanti Regional Minister and the Western and Eastern Regional Ministers of allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities.
The allegation has spread quickly and generated considerable public attention.It is against the background,
Mr Sukah,who doubles as Oforikrom Communications Officer for NDC, and a member of the regional communications team said, “We Ashanti Democrats consider the accusations not only daring but extremely serious.
Jerry James Sukah aka Papa Jay in a group photograph with members of Ashanti Democrat
And for this reason, we have formally petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the matter thoroughly and bring the truth to light.
Jerry James Sukah aka Papa Jay speaking to journalists
“The group believes that no public discourse should be built on falsehood, and no leader should be unjustly attacked without evidence.
The full statement is attached below.
PRESS CONFERENCE SPEECH
Delivered by: Ashanti Democrat
Date: 21st November 2025
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, Distinguished Guests, Fellow Citizens,
Good morning, and thank you for honoring our invitation.
We have gathered here today to address a matter of great importance—one that touches the
integrity of public office, the reputation of distinguished leaders, and the peace and dignity of our
beloved Ashanti Region.
On 18th November 2025, allegations were made by Mr. Wendell Nana Yaw Yeboah, Head of
Mobilization at Democracy Hub, during a live broadcast on Aluta FM (92.1MHz).
He accused theRegional Ministers of Ashanti, Western, and Eastern Regions of engaging in illegal mining
activities—an allegation that spread quickly and generated considerable public attention.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We, Ashanti Democrat, consider these accusations not only daring but extremely serious. And for
this reason, we have formally petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana
Police Service to investigate the matter thoroughly and bring the truth to light. We believe that no
public discourse should be built on falsehood, and no leader should be unjustly attacked without
evidence.
But more importantly, we must address the injury these allegations sought to inflict upon the
reputation of our own Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Dr. Frank Amoakohene.
Dr. Amoakohene is not just a public servant—
He is a respected medical doctor, a man who deeply understands the devastating health impact of
illegal mining on our communities—our waters, our farmlands, and our children.
He is a man whose moral code is guided by science, compassion, and integrity. The very idea that
such a man—who has dedicated his life to healing and to public welfare—would turn around and
involve himself in activities that destroy the health and future of the people is not only illogical butcompletely unthinkable.
Furthermore, Dr. Amoakohene has demonstrated unwavering support for the President’s fight
against illegal mining. For anyone to imagine that he would betray this national agenda is
mind-boggling and utterly baseless.
In the Ashanti Region,
Dr. Dr. Amoakohene has become a symbol of hope,
a pillar of unity,
a bridge between the old and the young,
and a leader embraced by both NPP and NDC supporters alike.
His humility, hard work, and unwavering dedication to the development of the region have earnedhim admiration across traditional, political, and civic lines.
He is a man whose vision for a progressive Ashanti Region inspires confidence.
A man whose leadership strengthens communities and restores trust in public institutions.
A man whose bravery, discipline, and perseverance continue to move the region toward a brighter
future.
Such a great man—a man whose name carries credibility, compassion, and commitment—
cannot and must not have his reputation soiled by baseless allegations.
We will not sit idle
We will not fold our arms.
We will not allow shadows of doubt to be cast on a leader who has worked tirelessly for the people.Today, we stand here to send a strong and clear warning:
To anyone, group, or organization planning to fabricate accusations, spread malicious
misinformation, or purposefully tarnish the name of our noble Ashanti Regional Minister—
Desist immediately.
Withdraw such plans.
Because the youth of the great Ashanti Region will not tolerate it.
We will demand accountability, and we will ensure that the full weight of the law is brought to bearon anyone who seeks to destroy what we are building as a region.
We believe in justice.
We believe in truth.
And we believe that the integrity of hardworking public servants must be protected at all costs.
Once again, thank you all for coming,
and may God continue to bless the Ashanti Region and the Republic of Ghana.
Thank you.
For more details Please contact:
Jerry James Sukah – (president Ashanti Democrat)0553341679
Abdul Rahman Abdul mujeeb – (Organiser Ashanti Democrat)0597042835
Benewaa Gyasi – (Financial Secretary Ashanti Democrat)0242679873
Authorities in the Amansie West District are investigating a suspected cyanide contamination in local water sources, prompting emergency action from government and community stakeholders. District Coordinating Director Thomas Okrah Kwame confirmed that the chemical, reportedly smuggled into the district for illegal mining, poses serious health and environmental risks.
“It’s been confirmed that the use of cyanide is illegal. It’s something new that we don’t use in our years of mining activities in the country. I declare it a ‘no-go area’… so far as the use of cyanide in leaching of gold is concerned,” Okrah Kwame warned.
The emergency stakeholder meeting brought together representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), District Security Council (DISEC), National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Asanko Gold Mines, and the Ghana National Small Scale Miners Association to assess the threat and plan containment measures.
The response follows a joint police–immigration operation two weeks ago that arrested 22 Burkinabè nationals suspected of smuggling cyanide into local communities. Laboratory tests confirmed the substances were cyanide, likely intended for illegal gold mining operations.
EPA officials cautioned that even small amounts of cyanide in water could have severe consequences for human and animal health. Asanko Gold Mines experts highlighted the strict safety protocols in licensed mining operations, contrasting them with the reckless handling by illegal miners.
Traditional authorities expressed concerns over the safety of local communities. Omankyeame of Manso Nkwanta, Nana Asare Frimpong, called for stronger border security and wider environmental checks. “They should strengthen the security at the borders. The task forces and EPA should go to other communities to ascertain whether their environment is also polluted. We won’t use that money to buy death or sickness for ourselves,” he said.
Community leaders echoed the urgency of the matter. Assembly Member for Manso, Monica Osei-Kyei, said: “When I learnt about the dangers of these chemicals, in fact, I panicked. Even inhaling the chemicals can cause breathing difficulties. We need to start serious sensitisation.”
At the grassroots level, Unit Committee Chairman for the Akropong Electoral Area, Gabriel Owusu, vowed vigilant monitoring. “We are going to stand on our grounds and look out for people who use that. We will fish them out,” he stated.
A joint EPA–NADMO–DISEC team has begun visiting suspected contamination hotspots, with plans to extend assessments across all communities in the district. Authorities continue to urge residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
Okrah Kwame appealed to the public: “Say something when you see something. When they report, the DISEC will take it up and the appropriate sanctions will be meted.”Source: Emmanuella Ewurabena Acquaye
BASELESS ALLEGATIONS OF INVOLVEMENT ILLEGAL MINING – RETRACT AND APOLOGIZE OR FACE LEGAL ACTION
My attention has been drawn to an allegation made on Aluta FM, 92.1 Megahertz, during an interview hosted by Agyaba Kwaku with Mr. Wendell Yeboah, Head of Mobilisation at Democracy Hub, on Tuesday, 18 November 2025. During the discussion, Mr. Yeboah claimed that I am involved in illegal mining activities.
I wish to state firmly that I have never engaged in any form of illegal mining. The allegation is false, unfounded, and intended to misinform the public. I urge the public to disregard this claim in its entirety.
My lawyers have commenced formal steps to require Mr. Yeboah and Aluta FM to provide evidence to support their accusation or take immediate action to retract the statement and issue an appropriate apology. Failure to comply will result in legal proceedings being initiated against them.
I reaffirm my strong commitment, to the national fight against illegal mining in Ashanti Region and Ghana and I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity, transparency, and unwavering dedication to the public good.
SIGNED
HON. FRANK AMOAKOHENE
REGIONAL MINISTER – ASHANTI
More than 300 people have been remanded into prison custody for two weeks following an alleged attack on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), officials of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), and journalists.
The individuals—residents of Dadwene and Anwona in the Ashanti Region, as well as Hwidiem, Kenyase, Goaso, and Marhani in the Ahafo Region—were arrested in a joint military-police swoop.
At dawn on Wednesday, 12th November 2025, the armed forces and police carried out simultaneous raids in the Ashanti and Ahafo regions, as well as an additional operation at Ehi in the Volta Region.Videos circulating on social media show the arrested persons, mostly men, lined up on the streets and subjected to physical exercises, many of them visibly distressed and unaware of the charges against them.
Residents claim the security team mistakenly stormed the wrong Dadwene community. They say the operation targeted Dadwene on the Kumasi–Obuasi stretch instead of the Dadwene community along the Obuasi–Dunkwa road, where some illegal miners had allegedly attacked an EPA team.
The suspects from both regions were later transported to Kumasi and arraigned before the court, where they were all remanded into prison custody for two weeks.
At the Kumasi Central Prisons, emotional scenes unfolded as families and relatives queued outside, hoping to visit their loved ones and secure bail.
They are expected to reappear in court on Thursday, 27th November 2025.Some eyewitnesses allege that despite presenting evidence of innocence, security officers ignored their pleas.
“My husband even showed them his ID card that he works as an electrician for AGA, but the police didn’t heed and sent him away. They ransacked our room. They didn’t explain to us what wrong my husband had done,” said Kukuaa Amissah, a wife of one of the arrested residents.
Residents and some Members of Parliament, including Tano North MP Gideon Boako, have condemned the mass arrests, insisting that many innocent people were swept up in the operation.
They are calling for the immediate release of those wrongly detained and urging the military to conduct a more targeted and precise operation.Source: Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe
More than 60,000 hectares of forest land, equivalent to 84,000 football fields, have been destroyed by illegal mining activities in southern Ghana alone in the last 17 years, remote sensing data from the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) has revealed.
The Director of the institute, Dr Joseph Tandoh, who made this known to the Daily Graphic, said the scale of destruction posed dire environmental consequences for the country, and as such needed to be addressed urgently.
“These 60,000 hectares is limited to the southern part of the country, spanning across the Ashanti, Western, Western-North and other regions.
The scale of destruction caused to forest lands by galamsey across the country could be more, but we need to do some field work to ascertain it,” he said.
Dr Tandoh spoke to the Daily Graphic on the sideline of the 5th edition of the Arab and Africa Impact Cratering and Astrogeology Conference (AICAC V), which opened at the University of Ghana last Monday.
The conference was put together by the Department of Earth Science of the University of Ghana in collaboration with the African Initiative for Planetary and Space Sciences.
Restoration policies
The GSSTI Director stressed that given the critical role forests played in terms of essential ecosystem services, the right policies must be rolled out immediately to help restore the degraded forest lands.Dr Tandoh said the seriousness of the destruction being caused by illegal mining activities required the government to give priority to the implementation of the Tree for Life Afforestation programme meant to reclaim the country’s degraded forest landscape.
“Anytime government puts in policies, the graph on the extent of destruction being caused by illegal mining goes down, but when things are allowed to slide, it goes up again.”As a country, we have to manage the forest for ourselves and the future generations, but if we keep cutting trees without replanting them, we are doomed,” he said.
Again, Dr Tandoh said there was the need to plant more trees to create carbon sinks instead of cutting them down and destroying the environment through galamsey.
He also stressed that apart from planting trees, effort must be made to geo-tag them to be able to monitor their progress from time to time.“If we say we have planted 50 million trees, we need to be able to tell where those trees are, how many survived, and how they are doing.We can do this through technology,” the GSSTI Director said.
Dr Tandoh also said research done by GSSTI had revealed that the country was losing about 1.3 metres of its coastline every year.
He underscored the need for the appropriate technology and approaches to be adopted to salvage the situation.“It must be looked at holistically instead of tackling it in silos.The sea defence approach is an option, but the point is that if you do sea defence, you are blocking the water from going through one point but it will go through another point,” Dr Tandoh said.He said there must be collaboration with other coastal countries for a comprehensive solution.
Dr Tandoh added that the country had made progress in the space journey, but added that the efforts would have to be enhanced going forward.
“We have a space policy already, and this year, Cabinet also approved the establishment of the space agency to coordinate all activities.Source : Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
