The National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yamin, has challenged persons accusing him of involvement in illegal mining activities to produce evidence to support their claims, insisting that he is not under investigation for galamsey.
Mr Yamin said allegations linking him to illegal mining have been circulating without proof, arguing that no credible evidence has been presented to establish his involvement.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, the NDC National Organiser said he remains unaware of any investigation into him over galamsey-related activities.
“Now it is everywhere that I am involved in galamsey. Meanwhile, I am not being investigated for galamsey,” he stated.
According to him, the issue before the authorities relates to allegations that a group of individuals is allegedly using his name to intimidate or terrorise people, rather than any proven involvement in illegal mining.
“Someone is alleging that there is a group terrorising people using my name,” he said.
Mr Yamin questioned why the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has taken so long to establish whether such a group exists and, if so, take steps to disband it.
“Where I have a problem is how long it has taken EOCO to come out to say whether, indeed, there is a parallel group linked to Yamin so that they can disband the group,” he added.
He maintained that anyone with evidence of his involvement in illegal mining should present it publicly or to the appropriate authorities.
“I have said it countless times that if someone has evidence that I am involved in galamsey, they should bring it,” Mr Yamin stated.
He questioned how allegations of his involvement could persist without any identifiable evidence linking him to a mining operation.
“Or is it invisible? Am I doing it spiritually such that nobody can see and prove it? Or can somebody say this is Yamin’s galamsey site, or these are people mining for Yamin?” he asked.
His comments come after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) accused the Mahama administration of engaging in “selective prosecution” following the conviction and 20-year prison sentence handed to its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, July 20, the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, alleged that while the government has aggressively pursued political opponents, it has failed to act against individuals within its own ranks who have been publicly linked to illegal mining activities.
According to him, the conviction of Chairman Wontumi should not be presented as evidence of the government’s commitment to tackling illegal mining, insisting that allegations involving some members of the NDC remain unresolved.
However, Mr Yamin questioned whether relying on an alleged petition as a defence in the matter could amount to overlooking due process and individual rights.
“So when the NPP’s Justin Kodua uses the letter to EOCO as a defence for Wontumi, I ask myself, are we not overlooking or abusing rights?” he said.
The NDC National Organiser reiterated that accusations of criminal conduct must be backed by evidence, insisting that allegations alone should not be used to damage the reputation of individuals.
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