NDC National Organiser Accuses Government Task Force of Extorting Money From Illegal Miners

• The National Organiser of the NDC has accused the government's anti-illegal mining task force of extorting illegal miners
• Joseph Yamin has claimed that the task force is profiting from the galamsey menace rather than combating illegal mining
• The NDC official has called on President John Mahama to urgently halt all mining operations and impose a national ban

The National Organiser of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yamin, has launched a scathing attack on the government's task force against illegal mining (galamsey).

He accused members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) of engaging in the extortion of illegal miners instead of combating their destructive practices.

Speaking to a group of miners recently, Yamin claimed that the very unit tasked with ending the illegal mining menace, popularly known as galamsey, was profiting from it. instead

He said that the government's anti-galamsey task force team is routinely taking money from illegal miners to allow them to continue their activities.

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"What the task force is doing can never be said to be fighting illegal mining. They are rather extorting money and creating problems," he alleged.

The NDC National Organiser called on President John Mahama to halt the operations of the anti-galamsey task force and impose a ban on all mining activities in the country.

"President John Dramani Mahama must, as a matter of urgency, order the stop of any mining operations being carried out. The president must order the IGP, the Interior Minister, and whichever task force is currently in operation to immediately halt all the operations."

"Are there no legal miners in this country? Where is the task force checking the documents of people who are mining, where they are mining, and whether they have permits to mine or not?" he added.

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AG directs EOCO to investigate Yamin, Abanga

Meanwhile, it was earlier reported that the Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, had instructed the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate Yakubu Abanga, the Third Vice Chairman of the NDC, and Yamin over allegations of involvement in illegal mining activities.

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This directive followed Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng's report, which aimed to ascertain the extent of their involvement in galamsey and to identify other individuals implicated.

The investigation sought to uphold the rule of law and protect Ghana’s natural resources.

The EOCO was tasked with carrying out a thorough investigation into the allegations, gathering evidence, and recommending appropriate action.

The probe was expected to shed light on the alleged involvement of the NDC officials and others in illegal mining activities.

Joseph Yamin denies galamsey involvement

YEN.com.gh reported earlier that a group calling itself the Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association had earlier accused Joseph Yamin and Yakubu Abanga of forming an illegal anti-galamsey task force to cause disturbances at their mining sites.

However, in a Facebook post published on July 13, 2025, the NDC National Organiser refuted the allegations made against him. He indicated his readiness to avail himself for any investigation into the matter, as the menace of illegal mining rages on.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh