Direct judges to expedite galamsey cases – A-G to Chief Justice
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has urged Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to direct judges presiding over illegal mining cases to deliver their rulings within a month.
According to the Attorney-General, this will help to control the destruction of water bodies and forest reserves by illegal miners and unauthorized companies operating in protected areas.
At the Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana held at the La Beach Hotel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Mr Dame expressed concern over the slow pace of prosecuting illegal mining (galamsey) cases.
He emphasized that the delays were worsening the harm to Ghana’s forests and water resources.
“One category of cases whose speed of resolution by our courts, I often lament is the trial of illegal mining cases. It is beyond argument that the form of illegal mining known as “galamsey” continues to wreak incalculable damage to our forest reserves and river bodies. A major setback to the struggle against galamsey is the rate of adjudication and punishment of offenders.
“Your ladyship, I therefore respectfully call on you to direct all judges sitting on galamsey cases to conclude the cases, the hearing of which has started, within one month from the commencement of the legal year on 10th October 2024.”
Mr. Dame also urged politicians to desist from encouraging galamsey activities through their rhetoric and actions.
“Politicians must also desist from encouraging galamsey through their rhetoric and actions. Those who preach amnesty for galamsey offenders must be rejected. There should be no place for the grant of amnesty for such crimes in our body politic as the lives of citizens and the future of our nation are at risk”.
This statement by the Attorney General follows the declaration of a strike by organised labour.
The group is calling for an outright ban on illegal mining to protect the environment.
The industrial action takes effect from Thursday, October 10, 2024.
The unions explain that the decision is driven by the government’s failure to meet its ultimatum to halt all forms of mining in forest reserves across the country.