Galamsey: 'What happened to EOCO investigation on Abanga and Yamin?' — Ken Ashigbey quizzes

The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, has questioned the status of an Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) investigation into alleged illegal mining activities involving National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials Yakubu Abanga and Joseph Yamin.

His comments follow the sentencing of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty in the Samreboi illegal mining case.

The High Court in Accra also found Akonta Mining Company Limited guilty of offences relating to unlawful assignment of mineral rights and facilitating unlicensed mining operations.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews after the court's decision on Monday, July 20, Dr. Ashigbey said the conviction of Chairman Wontumi should encourage authorities to pursue other persons alleged to have links to illegal mining activities.

"It is great that we are dealing with one politically exposed person. But what has happened to the other politically exposed persons who were being investigated? What has happened to that?" he asked.

In July 2025, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, directed EOCO to investigate alleged illegal mining activities involving Mr. Abanga and Mr. Yamin.

The directive followed public concerns, media reports and intelligence on suspected unauthorised mining operations.

The Attorney-General instructed EOCO to invite the two individuals for interrogation and investigate any other persons found to be involved in unlawful mining activities.

The probe was also expected to cover issues raised in the report of the Professor Frimpong-Boateng Committee on illegal mining, with possible involvement of the Minerals Commission in the investigations.

However, no update has been issued on the investigations by EOCO or the office of the Attorney-General.

"If we really are going to deal with this canker decisively, then we need to make sure that a lot of big men who are roaming the corridors of power and flaunting their riches are also candidates to be sentenced," Dr. Ashigbey said.