Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has cautioned that any government appointee found engaging in illegal mining will face arrest, signalling a firmer position by the Mahama administration against the escalating environmental crisis.
He made the statement in Parliament after Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, requested weekly briefings from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources on the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies.
Ayariga stressed that President John Dramani Mahama is determined to allow the law to take its full course against officials complicit in galamsey, contrasting this with what he described as a lack of action under the previous Akufo-Addo government.
“Today, any government official found to be aiding and abetting will be arrested,” he declared. “Any party official, no matter how high, whether you are at the national level or at the regional level… the president will not say anything. He will allow the due process of the law to deal with you.”
He argued that this marks a clear departure from past administrations, where individuals implicated in illegal mining were allegedly protected. Ayariga cited cases where “certain regional chairmen were known to be openly involved in galamsey” and ministerial reports were disregarded.
The debate comes amid heightened public concern over the rapid destruction of rivers and forests, with both Majority and Minority MPs demanding stronger measures to tackle illegal mining.
The Majority Leader assured Parliament that the government’s renewed approach will enforce accountability across all levels of political leadership.
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