Is Mahama’s Anti Galamsey Campaign Just A Lip Service? The Case of Atiwa East and Unchecked MCEs

The fight against galamsey (illegal mining) has long been positioned as a national priority — a battle for the soul of Ghana’s environment, water bodies, and public health.

However, a growing section of the Ghanaian public is questioning the sincerity of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.

Many argue that the government’s rhetoric is a calculated smokescreen designed to appease the public while turning a blind eye to the environmental pillaging allegedly orchestrated by its own political appointees.

The skepticism stems from a glaring contradiction: while the President publicly instructs Municipal and District Chief Executives (MCEs/DCEs) to spearhead the fight against illegal mining, these very government agents are frequently implicated in the destruction they are tasked to prevent.

For many citizens, the President’s refusal to sack officials who have been exposed — or even convicted by the courts — suggests that the anti‑galamsey crusade is nothing more than lip service.

The Case of Atiwa East

The situation in the Atiwa East District of the Eastern Region has become a lightning rod for this frustration.

Ernest Ntim Owusu, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has found himself at the center of a brewing scandal that questions the integrity of the administration’s environmental policy.

Despite facing legal challenges and court fines related to illegal mining, Ntim Owusu remains in office. Residents of Gyadam and surrounding communities have raised alarms, citing ongoing destruction of properties and the pollution of vital water bodies.

Critics argue that the MCE allegedly uses his office to intimidate those who dare to speak out, creating a climate of fear.

A Pattern of Legal Defiance

The legal reality of the situation is particularly damning. On July 15, 2026, the Koforidua High Court dealt a blow to MCE Ntim’s efforts to silence his critics.

When he filed an injunction against Mr. Daniel Ansah, a Town Committee Chairman who had been vocal about the MCE’s alleged involvement in galamsey, the court struck down the application.

The court’s decision was informed by audio evidence that allegedly confirmed Ntim’s participation in activities that violate Ghana’s environmental laws.

Shockingly, this is not the first time a court has signaled that the MCE’s conduct is unlawful.

Yet, despite these judicial markers, the President has failed to exercise his executive authority to remove Ntim from office.

Growing Discontent Within the Party

The silence from the Flagstaff House is not only alienating the general public — it is also causing tremors within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Local activists, who are tasked with selling the government’s message of development and rule of law, are increasingly confused and disillusioned.

“We are waiting for the next elections to make our decision,” an NDC activist from Osino indicated. “What we are seeing here is clearly a lip‑service era. Promises are made but they are not fulfilled.”

The Verdict of Public Opinion

When government officials are caught in the web of illegal mining and the President remains silent, the message sent to the citizenry is demoralizing.

It suggests that the environment is secondary to political patronage.

The primary question remains: If the President cannot bring himself to sack an MCE who has been flagged by the High Court for environmental destruction, how can Ghanaians trust his commitment to save our rivers and forests?

For the people of Atiwa East and beyond, the time for speeches has long passed. True leadership in the fight against galamsey requires more than well‑worded directives; it requires the courage to clean one’s own house.

Until those in power are held accountable for their actions, the government’s anti‑galamsey policy will remain, in the eyes of the public, an exercise in empty rhetoric.