Category: Daily Guide Network

Solomon Reuben Jabari has defeated incumbent Simon Alonga by a wide margin to become the new Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), polling 1,319 votes against his rival’s 263 in Saturday’s constituency executive elections at Twedie Technical Institute in the Ashanti Region.

Mr. Jabari, after his emphatic victory on October 24, warned the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to prepare for a tough contest in the constituency in the 2028 general election, citing the youthful composition of the new executive team as a major strength.

He also used the opportunity to apologise to the Electoral Commission (EC) over his earlier allegation that its officials were working for their ‘paymasters’ during the electoral process.

Speaking to the media after the elections, the chairman-elect commended the EC officials and the Ghana Police Service for their professionalism in ensuring a peaceful and orderly exercise despite some misunderstandings at the voting centre.

‘I commend the police and the EC for their professionalism because everything was done in the right direction. This was an election, and there wouldn’t be everything that you might get perfect, but I admit that the police and the EC did what was expected of them,’ he said.

Mr. Jabari explained that his earlier accusations were made in the heat of the contest, adding that he was prepared to learn from his mistakes.

He also praised the police commander for the efforts made to maintain peace and order throughout the exercise.

Unity Agenda

The chairman-elect has pledged to unite the various factions within the constituency and bring all defeated aspirants on board to strengthen the party ahead of the 2028 general election.

He maintained that the internal contest should not be seen as a battle between winners and losers, insisting that all aspirants belonged to the same political family.

Mr. Jabari disclosed that he would engage the party’s elders, imams and pastors in communities across the constituency to help reconcile members and promote lasting unity.

He expressed confidence that the new executive team would work collectively to strengthen the NDC’s grassroots support and improve its performance in the constituency.

NPP Warning

Mr. Jabari warned the NPP not to underestimate the NDC in Atwima Kwanwoma ahead of the 2028 general election, insisting that the new executives were prepared to intensify grassroots mobilisation.

He said the youthful composition of the team would bring renewed energy to the party’s campaign efforts and help increase its electoral margins.

‘To have a solid team like this in Atwima Kwanwoma, trust me, the NPP will not have it easy. We are all young, and when we go down to campaign, the youth in the constituency are going to support us,’ he declared.

Drawing on his military background, Mr. Jabari said he was ready to work with the constituency secretary, communications officer and other executives to strengthen the party’s structures and prepare for the next general elections.

He, however, acknowledged that addressing the development challenges confronting the constituency would be crucial to the party’s electoral ambitions.

He appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to fix what he estimated to be 40 per cent of the roads in the constituency, arguing that addressing the road challenges would help the NDC’s efforts to secure the parliamentary seat in 2028.

Other Winners

In the other contests, Lawrence Obiri Yeboah won the vice-chairmanship position with 1,081 votes.

Lukman Mumuni retained the constituency secretary position, while his closest rival, Kingston Opoku Bediako, polled 523 votes.

Appiah Augustine won the deputy secretary position with 1,176 votes, while Appiah Isaac secured the deputy organiser position with 916 votes.

Daniel Basepwah won the treasurer position with 974 votes, while Desmond Aziwini secured the deputy treasurer position with 1,276 votes.

Frank Kwame Agyekum was elected constituency communications officer with 1,100 votes, while Blessing Nti Fordjour won the deputy communications officer position with 1,030 votes.

Osman Mohamed won the Zongo caucus position with 961 votes.

Isaac Painstil and Rosemary Adjei secured the youth organiser and deputy youth organiser positions with 97 and 67 votes respectively.

Barikisu Musah won the women’s organiser position with 144 votes, while Ellen Owusu secured the deputy women’s organiser position with 107 votes.

Ledzi Ekpen won the other youth organiser position with 97 votes.

The eight additional constituency executive positions went to Rita Prempeh, Asamoah Emmanuel, Matthew Mensah, Osei Bonsu, Adwoa Konadu, Monica Tosu, Edawanim Justice Osei and Matilda Kandibiga, who were elected from a field of 19 aspirants.

Mr. Jabari expressed gratitude to party members who participated in the elections and pledged to work with all stakeholders to build a united constituency executive team focused on the party’s future.

The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Emmanuel Nii Ashie-Moore, has congratulated members who emerged victorious in the party’s constituency elections, urging them to promote unity and strengthen the party’s structures ahead of the 2028 general election.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Regional Executives and the entire membership of the party, Mr. Ashie-Moore described the victories as a testament to their commitment, dedication and hard work.

He said the outcome reflects the confidence party members have reposed in their leadership.

‘Your victories are a testament to your commitment, dedication, hard work and the confidence that the party members have reposed in your leadership. I commend you for your determination, the sacrifices you have made and your willingness to serve both the NDC as a party and the people of mother Ghana,’ the statement said.

Mr. Ashie-Moore urged the newly elected executives to remain humble, united and committed to the ideals and principles of the party, stressing that their election is a call to responsibility.

He said they must work to strengthen party structures, promote unity and advance the collective vision of the NDC.

To unsuccessful aspirants, the Regional Chairman called for steadfastness and continued contribution to the growth of the party.

‘Every member has a valuable role to play, and our collective strength lies in our ability to work together despite our differences,’ he said, urging members to put the contest behind them and reconcile where necessary.

He said the party must work together to realise its vision for 2028 and to advance the vision of President John Dramani Mahama.

Mr. Ashie-Moore also called for the same unity and sense of purpose ahead of the upcoming regional elections.

‘Let us put our hands to the task ahead and achieve victory for our great party,’ he stated, wishing the elected executives wisdom and success in their new roles.

The seven fishermen who went missing at sea and later rescued have narrated the terrifying ordeal they went through within the 12 days they were declared missing.

The fishermen, from Ngyiresia, a suburb of Sekondi, departed the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on Friday, October 9 for a fishing expedition offshore Axim, but failed to return.

They were later found on October 21, 2026 at about 10:00 p.m. in Benin territorial waters by some local fishermen.

The seven rescued fishermen include Stephen Quansah, Kobena Kum, Uncle Amoah, Kwasi Emmanuel, Kwame Abedu, Kwamena Komfo and Kwamena Akyem.

Speaking to journalists after they were reunited with their families, the fishermen revealed that they experienced a drift at sea after their canoe’s outboard motor failed.

‘Our outboard motor broke down at sea and left us at the mercy of winds and currents,’ they explained.

They said the high current at sea carried them from Ghana through Togo into Benin waters.

Stephen Quansah, also known as Kwabena Awil, said the crew’s first desperate memory was the silence of nearby vessels.

‘Ships were not responding to our distress calls. We wept throughout.

‘With the engine dead and distress calls unanswered, we struggled to steer clear of an approaching storm.

‘We manoeuvred to get out of the storm, then we got in touch with a vessel,’ Mr. Quansah recalled.

According to him, those aboard the vessel urged them to leave the area immediately, describing it as dangerous and claiming that people there were cannibals.

Night was closing in when, Mr. Quansah said, the crew faced the most frightening moment of the ordeal.

‘Suddenly, a huge dark figure rose above us. By the time we realised, we have been carried back into the deep sea.

‘As the canoe drifted along the coastline, we turned to prayer. We were praying relentlessly. Later we realised we have been drifted into Togo waters,’ Kwabena Awil indicated.

‘The drift continued until the canoe crossed into Benin’s territorial waters, where we finally picked up a mobile phone signal.

‘It was at that moment we got a mobile signal to place a call home, leading to our rescue,’ he pointed out.

He indicated that the rescue involved cooperation among the Navies of Ghana, Togo and Benin, alongside local fishermen from Benin.

Two days later, on Friday, October 23, the crew reunited with their families after nearly two weeks of uncertainty at sea.

glorify internet fraud, warning that their influence could encourage young people to engage in criminal activities.

In a statement reportedly signed by its President, Bessa Simons, the Union said musicians had the right to comment on governance, unemployment, corruption and justice but must not use such concerns to justify unlawful conduct.

‘No grievance against public institutions justifies statements that may appear to normalise fraud, portray suspected offenders as heroes, or discourage cooperation with lawful investigations,’ Myjoyonline quoted him as saying in the statement.

The warning follows comments by dancehall artiste Shatta Wale at ShattaFest in Accra on October 17, 2026, where he said he had friends involved in fraud but would not expose them.

‘The country no good so if you go fraud, fraud,’ he said in Pidgin English, remarks that triggered public debate over the influence of celebrities on young people.

MUSIGA warned that cybercrime caused financial losses to victims, damaged Ghana’s international reputation and threatened legitimate digital businesses.

It urged artistes to avoid statements, performances and social media posts that could be interpreted as promoting internet fraud, money laundering, romance scams, identity theft and other cyber-related offences.

The Union encouraged musicians to use their platforms to advocate employment opportunities, digital-skills training, financial literacy and entrepreneurship as alternatives to criminal activities.

It also cautioned that comments appearing to encourage unlawful conduct could expose musicians to legal, professional and reputational consequences.

MUSIGA maintained that criticism of public institutions and calls for accountability were legitimate but should not be used to justify crime.

‘Fame does not place them above the law, and artistic freedom does not include the freedom to encourage unlawful conduct,’ the statement added.

The Union reaffirmed its commitment to protecting musicians’ rights and welfare, urging industry players to inspire young people to pursue success through lawful and productive means.

Afro-fusion artiste,KotokuD’Mentor, is back with a brand new single titled ‘L’argent’- a smooth blend of Afrobeats and Pop that pays tribute to the everyday hustle.

The artiste, who has made a name for himself with well-received singles like ‘No More Sad Days’and ‘If I Tell You’, returns with an even more captivating sound.

French word for money, ‘L’argent’ explores themes of ambition, success and the relentless grind that defines the modern African experience. Where many of his contemporaries would opt for a hard-hitting beat, co-producers Jxrry B and Keymix take a more laid-back approach.

The duo create the perfect ambience for KotokuD’Mentor to shine – a mellow base that merges traditional African pulses with the upbeat synths of the Pop classic ‘Axel F.’

While the production is where the magic lies, it is the crooner’s melodic vocals that give the song its soul, further cementing his knack for pushing the sonic boundaries of Afro-fusion. By the time ‘L’argent’ ends, one thing is clear: the record is a work of art that will leave you eager to hit replay. It is anthemic, yet soothing enough to make the quiet moments between the grind a bit more interesting.

Known for his unique blend of Afro and traditional Ghanaian sounds, KotokuD’Mentor is showing no signs of slowing down. ‘L’argent’ suggests there is more to come before the year ends. The single is now available on all major streaming platforms.

Proforest has commissioned a new Rural Service Centre at Asumura in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Ahafo Region to support cocoa farmers in improving productivity, strengthening climate resilience and protecting forests.

Established under the Building Deforestation-free Climate Resilient Cocoa Landscape programme, with funding support from the Walmart Foundation, the centre will provide technical training, farm management services and a platform for community leadership and social and environmental governance.

The Asumura facility builds on Proforest’s first Rural Service Centre, commissioned at Dadiesoaba in the Asutifi South District in 2024. The facility provides technical training and farm management services to farmers and surrounding communities.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Asunafo North, Joseph Akparibo, said the project, being implemented under the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP), aligned with the government’s Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda and its flagship Feed Ghana Programme.

He said Feed Ghana sought to increase productivity, strengthen food security, create jobs, supply raw materials to industry and connect farmers to markets.

Abraham Baffoe, Executive Director for Global and Africa at Proforest, said the initiative demonstrated that sustainable production, environmental protection and community development could be pursued together.

‘Through our collective efforts, we are demonstrating that sustainable production, environmental stewardship, and community development can go hand in hand,’ he said.

He called for continued collaboration to build a prosperous, climate-resilient and deforestation-free landscape for present and future generations.

Simon Hall, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Walmart Foundation, said the foundation was proud to support the initiative and looked forward to seeing how farmers and community members used the facility to advance sustainable cocoa production and local governance.

At dawn on October 2, 2026, soldiers cleared the Labadi beach economy at the request of a hotel owned by the State’s pension fund. The Presidency says it was not a government operation. The Member of Parliament (MP), the chiefs and the operators say they were never told. So on whose authority, and under what law?

Security personnel arrived at the La Pleasure Beach at about 4am, soldiers of the 48 Engineer Regiment, supported by the Ghana Police Service, pulled down about 30 structures, some of them multi-storey, including Vienna City and the Polo Beach Club.

By mid-morning, one of Accra’s busiest beaches was rubble. The Ghana Tourism Federation counts 85 businesses affected and about 4,000 jobs at risk, most of them held by women.

Not flood control, by the government’s own account

Within hours, the Presidency distanced itself. Stan Dogbe, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations and head of the anti-flood task force, said the clearance was not a flood mitigation action. It was carried out under National Security supervision, he said, at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel. He added that his comments did not refer to La Pleasure Beach. It was razed all the same.

That statement matters. A flood emergency is the kind of public-safety ground on which the State can argue it had to act fast. By ruling it out, the government’s own operations chief left one explanation standing: a commercial request from a hotel, carried out by the security services.

SSNIT’s board confirmed it had asked National Security to step in. Alongside security, sanitation and coastal damage, its stated reasons included the effect on hotel patronage, revenue and financial performance.

Follow the money

If the request was commercial, the commerce deserves a look. Labadi Beach Hotel sells rooms, 164 of them, but also runs five bars, two restaurants and a 900-seat conference and banqueting hall. Its financial statements, made public in 2024, showed turnover of GHS120.4 million in 2022 and GHS188.1 million in the 2023 management accounts. In June, SSNIT’s Director-General put last year’s profit before tax above GHS67 million.

Operators put the Labadi beach market at roughly GHS180 to 200 million a year. On those figures, the economy on the sand was about as large as the hotel behind it.

The two are not simple rivals. The beach sells no rooms, and its crowds bring visitors who need beds. They overlap on food, drink, events and nightlife, the spend that peaks in December, and on the beach experience itself. That is the ground SSNIT named in its reasons, and the ground its redevelopment would occupy: restaurants, beach lounges and live music on sand now under its control.

In October 2025, the Director-General said SSNIT would fully back the hotel’s expansion. Whether competition drove the decision, only SSNIT can say. Who stands to gain is less of a mystery.

The State loses too. Operators paid taxes to the Ghana Revenue Authority, whose officers, they say, come to the beach every December to collect; levies to the Ghana Tourism Authority; fees to LaDMA; and rent to the La Stool. On the operators’ figures, the 1% tourism levy alone is worth up to GHS2 million a year, before VAT and income tax. All of it stops with the business.

Why two months before December?

December is when Accra’s hospitality calendar earns its year: the diaspora comes home, the beach fills, and the coastal hotels have their busiest weeks. Traders had already bought stock and equipment for it.

Clearing the beach on 2 October removed the businesses from their best eight weeks. Some operators say they had been told it would happen at the end of the year. SSNIT’s Director-General has since promised to clear the debris quickly so that some traders can return to a planned African market before Christmas.

Whatever the intention, the effect of the date is plain. The private beach economy enters its peak season without premises; the hotels behind it enter with the beachfront cleared.

Nobody with a stake was told

The MP for La Dadekotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, is also a Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. She arrived that morning to confront the soldiers, saying the authorities had assured her the area would be spared. The hotel’s managing director told her he knew nothing of it; its board chairman told her it would go ahead because the land belonged to the hotel. Her constituency said neither the party nor the local government authorities had received notice, and that Pleasure Beach was not on the flood task force’s list.

The La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA), which operators say issued their permits and collected their taxes could not be reached for comments, and the La Traditional Council, which collects rent from 85 vendors on the beach, learnt of the plan only informally, on 16 September. After a meeting with SSNIT, National Security and two ministers, the La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, said both had apologised. The redevelopment is now on hold.

The operators describe weeks of verbal warnings, but no date and no written notice. Many watched the belongings they had packed destroyed with the buildings.

A beach the courts had already organised

This was not ungoverned sand. In 2002, the Ministry of Tourism and the La Traditional Council agreed to manage La Beach jointly and share its revenue. When that broke down, the courts stepped in. On 21 July 2022, the Court of Appeal directed a nine-member management committee: three each from the La Traditional Council, the La Dadekotopon Youth Association and the Ghana Tourism Development Company, a state company.

The State, therefore, already sat, by court order, on the body responsible for the beach. If the beach needed cleaning up, there was a lawful table to bring it to. Was that committee consulted? Was the Ghana Tourism Authority consulted? The public has not been told.

The hotel’s own record points the same way. In 2007 and 2008, the company behind Labadi Beach Hotel rented beachfront from the La Pleasure Beach Resort Management Committee, and in April 2022 it asked the La Traditional Council to renew its expired beachfront lease for 20 years. SSNIT now says the southern beach falls within land the State acquired in 1967; the Council disputes it. That is a question for a court.

What the law requires

Owning land, or believing you do, is not the same as the power to demolish what stands on it. As the lawyer Samson Lardy Anyenini has pointed out, the Land Act 2020 gives the State a route against unlawful occupation of public land, but only where its conditions are met and through an authority the law empowers. Municipal assemblies have their own powers under the Local Governance Act 2016. Neither makes a pension fund or a hotel the enforcing authority.

The courts have been consistent. In 2022, the High Court at Mankessim held that an assembly which demolished a building without written notice had committed trespass; ‘Stop Work, Produce Permit’ painted on a wall does not count. In April 2026, the High Court held that a demolition by a public authority without statutory notice violated the owner’s constitutional right to property, and awarded damages.

Where the land is itself before a court, the position is plainer still. Mr Anyenini notes that a prior court order would then be unavoidable, citing the Polo Beach Club case, where an injunction application was pending. La Pleasure Beach’s management had said in September that its own ownership dispute was before the courts. Article 23 of the Constitution requires administrative bodies to act fairly and reasonably; soldiers on site are not a legal basis.

The lawful route was not obscure: go to court, or ask LaDMA or the Lands Commission to act under statute, with written notice, and seek an order where the land is contested.

Referee or player?

There is nothing wrong with a public fund owning hotels; pension funds worldwide own property and compete with private businesses every day. What keeps that fair is competitive neutrality: a state-owned business may compete, but gains no advantage from being state-owned.

Same courts, same permits, no soldiers.

At Labadi, the sequence speaks for itself. By SSNIT’s own account, the hotel struggled to expand because of encroachment, turned to SSNIT, and SSNIT turned to National Security. The cleared sand is now earmarked for much of the trade the demolished businesses did.

If a state enterprise can clear its competitors through the security services whenever its balance sheet requires it, the precedent will not stay on the beach. It will travel to fuel retail, banking and transport. The Constitution points the other way: Article 36(2)(b) commits the State to ample opportunity for private initiative and a pronounced role for the private sector.

The fair case for SSNIT

None of this makes SSNIT’s concerns imaginary. Sanitation, waste and security on the beach were long-standing complaints, and some structures were permanent buildings on what is meant to be a public beach. SSNIT’s money belongs to more than two million contributors, and a fund that lets its best assets decline fails them. The objection is not to the objective. It is to the method, and to who was allowed to use it.

Cheaper before the bulldozer

The repair is not complicated: separate the roles. Let LaDMA, the Ghana Tourism Authority and the EPA work with the La Stool and the court-appointed committee to clean up the beach through notice and due process. Tender the redevelopment openly, let SSNIT bid like anyone else, and give existing operators time, a place in the new scheme, or compensation.

The alternative is already arriving: a compensation committee, a community lawyer preparing suits, a tourism federation warning about investor confidence, and possible judgment debts that would fall on the very public and pension money SSNIT set out to protect. As Mr. Anyenini put it, ‘The rule of law is cheaper before the bulldozer than after it.’

Ghana needs its State to be the referee. At Labadi, so far, it has chosen to play.

Four of Ghana’s biggest stars -KiDi, Nana AmaMcBrown, Giovanni Caleb and Stonebwoy- have been unveiled as Community Captains for the Indomie Yi WoDe? National Consumer Promo.

The campaign, launched by De United Foods Industries Limited (DUFIL), will run from October 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027, with each celebrity championing a special cause focused on women and children.

Nana AmaMcBrown is rebuilding a school in a deprived community, KiDi is providing art supplies to children in hospital wards, Giovanni is building a library for children who have never had one, and Stonebwoy is empowering women to run their own Indomie Express businesses.

At the heart of the promo is giving back while rewarding loyal consumers.

Every promo pack of Indomie Instant Noodles will carry a unique code. Consumers are to enter the code at http://www.indomieghana.com or via 844 44#, and select the celebrity they want to support.

Each entry pushes the chosen celebrity higher on a live national leaderboard and enters the consumer into a draw to win big.

Indomie is putting GHS4 million worth of rewards on the line, including GHS25,000 cash weekly, mobile phones, TVs, freezers, gas cookers, fans, air fryers, microwaves, one-year supply of Indomie, airtime, mobile money, shopping vouchers, and a brand-new car unveiled at the launch on October 17.

Speaking at the launch, Brand Manager for Indomie Ghana, Ms. Jessica Quaynor, said: ‘Our consumers have been loyal to us for two decades, so we asked how we could thank them. Our answer is Yi WoDe?: every Indomie pack is a real chance to make your pick, back your star and the cause you care about, and win big yourself. Every pick helps a community.’

To ensure inclusivity, community influencers will explain the mechanics in Ga, Fante, Twi, Ewe and other Northern languages.

The Gender-Based Violence Court in Tamale, presided over by Her Ladyship Afua Srakobea Agyeman-Daabu, has sentenced Mariam Yussif, 24, a Nigerian, to seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

The convict, together with her sister, Precious Clement, 22, were arrested on August 17, 2026, at Yendi for their alleged involvement in the recruitment and movement of victims from Nigeria to Ghana for sexual exploitation (prostitution).

On August 19, 2026, Mariam Yussif was arraigned before the Gender-Based Violence Court in Tamale, and charged with one count of human trafficking, contrary to Section 2(1) of the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694) while her sister, Precious Clement, was left to go as no case was established against her.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded into prison custody.

On October 22, 2026, Mariam Yusif reappeared before the same court after several adjournments, for the conclusion of the proceedings, and following the trial, she was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ in hard labour.

The convict has since been transferred to Tamale Central Prison to commence serving her sentence.

Meanwhile, both victims in the case (names withheld) have been repatriated to their home country, Nigeria, and successfully reunited with their respective families.

The Northern Regional Police Command has indicated that the conviction and seven-year custodial sentence imposed on the convict demonstrate the importance of intelligence-led operations, thorough investigations and effective prosecution in combating human trafficking, stressing that the successful repatriation and reunification of the victims with their families also mark a significant step in their protection and recovery.

The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, over comments he allegedly made suggesting that small-scale mining could be undertaken without a licence or the requisite permits in certain areas.

The caucus has also called on the government to condemn and sanction Mr. Gyamfi, arguing that his remarks undermine efforts to combat illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

In a statement issued on October 23, 2026, and signed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus demanded an unqualified apology from Sammy Gyamfi to Ghanaians.

The statement followed the circulation of a video in which Mr. Gyamfi was heard telling a group of people about the government’s position on small-scale mining operations outside forest reserves, water bodies and roadsides.

‘Once it’s not a water body; it’s not a forest reserve or place like a roadside, whether the person has licence or not, the government says we should allow the person to mine and register and regularise them,’ Sammy Gyamfi, the GoldBod CEO, reportedly stated.

The NPP MPs questioned whether the comments meant that galamsey operators could mine anywhere in the country without a small-scale mining licence, provided their operations were not located in the prohibited areas.

The caucus argued that such an interpretation could undermine the country’s mining laws and weaken accountability in the sector.

The Minority MPs cited Sections 9(1) and 82(1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), which require the appropriate mineral rights and a licence for small-scale mining operations.

Section 9(1) provides that a person cannot undertake activities relating to the search for, exploration or mining of minerals without a mineral right granted in accordance with the law.

Section 82(1), meanwhile, stipulates that a person cannot undertake small-scale mining operations unless a licence has been granted by the Minister responsible for Mines or an authorised officer.

Although the law allows the Minister to designate areas for small-scale mining in the public interest, the Minority said such authority must be exercised in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.

The caucus described Sammy Gyamfi’s comments as reckless and accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of failing to demonstrate a credible approach to tackling galamsey.

It said the remarks contradicted the NDC’s assurances before the 2024 general election that it would tackle illegal mining if elected to power.

According to the statement, the government’s approach falls short of the commitment made by President John Mahama to wage a determined fight against the menace.

The party further accused the government of allowing illegal mining to continue despite its devastating effects on the environment.

GoldBod Defends CEO

Meanwhile, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has rejected allegations that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sammy Gyamfi, endorsed illegal mining, describing a video circulating on social media as selectively edited to misrepresent his remarks.

In a statement issued by its Media Relations Unit, GoldBod said the video was an excerpt from an engagement between Mr. Gyamfi and artisanal and small-scale miners in March 2026, which had been taken out of context.

The board explained that Mr. Gyamfi was discussing the government’s policy of identifying and documenting mining operators and transitioning eligible informal miners into a lawful, regulated and environmentally responsible system.

It said the policy was not intended to legitimise illegal mining but to end illegality by bringing eligible operators into a formal framework where they could be licensed, monitored and held accountable for their activities.

The GoldBod said there was a fundamental difference between permitting illegal mining and establishing a pathway for eligible informal miners to regularise their operations in compliance with the law.

The statement follows criticism of Sammy Gyamfi over his comments on the conditions under which small-scale mining could be undertaken, with the Minority demanding his resignation or dismissal.

The GoldBod maintained that the CEO’s remarks concerned the formalisation of eligible informal operators rather than an endorsement of illegal mining.

It cited Mr. Gyamfi’s position at the 2026 Mining in Motion Summit, where he reiterated that effective mining regulation must combine enforcement with formalisation, capacity building and opportunities for miners who comply with the law.

Formalisation

The GoldBod said its approach was reflected in plans for an Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP), which it is developing in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and the Mineral Income Investment Fund (MIIF), with technical support from Rand Refinery SA.

The programme, expected to be rolled out in 2027, is intended to improve access to finance, increase production and mineral revenues, create jobs, reduce operational costs and address environmental degradation associated with mining.

The board said it had begun consultations with relevant government agencies, small-scale miners’ associations, civil society organisations and other industry stakeholders to gather input and ensure that the proposed programme was inclusive and sustainable.