Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has urged Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to instruct judges overseeing illegal mining, or ‘galamsey’, cases to issue their rulings within a month of the cases being presented in court.
According to the Attorney-General, such a directive would help address the ongoing destruction of Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves caused by illegal miners and unauthorized companies operating in protected areas.
Speaking at the Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana on October 2, held at the La Beach Hotel, Dame expressed concern about the slow pace at which galamsey cases are being prosecuted. He noted that these delays are worsening the environmental damage being inflicted on the country’s forests and water resources.
“One category of cases whose slow resolution I often lament is the trial of illegal mining cases. It is undeniable that galamsey continues to cause immense damage to our forest reserves and rivers. A major setback in the fight against galamsey is the slow pace of adjudicating and punishing offenders,” Dame said.
He respectfully called on the Chief Justice to direct all judges handling galamsey cases to conclude hearings within one month, starting from the new legal year on October 10, 2024.
Additionally, Mr. Dame urged politicians to refrain from promoting galamsey activities through their rhetoric or actions, warning against calls for amnesty for those involved in illegal mining.
“Politicians must stop encouraging galamsey through their rhetoric and actions. Those advocating for amnesty for galamsey offenders must be rejected. There should be no place for amnesty for such crimes in our political system, as the lives of citizens and the future of our nation are at risk,” he stressed.