Kwesi Botchway Jnr requests update from A-G on EOCO galamsey investigations

A private legal practitioner, Kwesi Botchway Jnr, Esq., has formally petitioned the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice for an update on investigations into alleged illegal mining activities commonly referred to as galamsey, which were earlier referred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

In a letter dated Wednesday, December 17, 2025, and addressed to the Attorney-General, Mr. Botchway said he was “respectfully” seeking clarification on the status of the investigations, citing strong public interest and the severe national impact of illegal mining.

The request follows a directive issued by the Attorney-General on July 15, 2025, which instructed EOCO to commence investigations into suspected illegal mining activities in several mining districts across the country. According to the lawyer, the directive specifically ordered EOCO to “invite the following persons named in recent credible reports for interrogation namely; Mr. Yakubu Abanga and Mr. Joseph Yamin,” in addition to matters arising from the Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng Report.

Referring to EOCO’s statutory mandate, Mr. Botchway noted that the directive was issued pursuant to the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804) and formed part of the government’s broader commitment to tackling illegal mining.

In his letter, the legal practitioner requested clarification on three key matters: “The current progress of the investigations; any interim findings EOCO has submitted to your Office; and expected timelines for the completion of the investigations.”

Mr. Botchway further grounded his request in the Attorney-General’s own public justification for the investigations, quoting directly from the July directive that the action was “borne out of growing public concern, corroborated by media reports and intelligence, regarding the involvement of some citizens in unauthorized mining operations (generally called galamsey) that are in blatant contravention of the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995.”

He emphasized that illegal mining activities “not only flout our mining regulations but also gravely endanger our water bodies, forest reserves, and local livelihoods,” underscoring the environmental and socio-economic consequences of galamsey.

According to the petitioner, the request for updates is being made “in good faith and in the interest of transparency, public accountability, and strengthening public confidence in the national fight against illegal mining.”

Mr. Botchway further appealed for an official response “at your earliest convenience,” and thanked the Attorney-General for his “continued service to the Republic.”