Summon Lands Minister, others to brief Parliament on galamsey – Minority Leader to Speaker
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has urged the Speaker of Parliament to summon lands and natural resources, defence and interior ministers, and the Attorney General to brief the house on illegal mining activities.
According to Mr Iddrisu, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice is expected to brief the parliament on the arrest and prosecution of the galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang and her accomplices.
Contributing to the business statement in parliament, the Minority Leader said the house requested a thorough briefing on the matter because of the devastation illegal mining is causing the environment.
“What is the state of it, galamsey? Where are we with it? The pollution of our water bodies and environment, we need the ministers to come and explain to the house the status of the fight and, more especially, the trial of Aisha Huang because this country must be governed by the rule of law,” he added.
Aisha Huang is standing trial for engaging in illegal mining activities in the country.
She is additionally being held over illegal employment of foreign nationals and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.
The prosecution said Aisha had gained “notoriety” for engaging in small-scale mining activities known as ‘galamsey’ across the country.
It said in 2017, Aisha was arrested for a similar offence, but she managed to sneak out of the country, averting prosecution, and had allegedly commenced small-scale mining activities without a license.
On October 11, this year, the Attorney General (AG) assured the court that the full evidence for the prosecution was ready for the trial and would disclose all evidence to be used.
However, it emerged in court on Monday, October 24, that the AG had not filed all disclosures in the case.
On October 24, 2022, the Accra High Court ordered the AG to submit the full complement of the evidence it intends to rely on for the prosecution of galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang.