In a fresh appeal, the group stressed that the scale of environmental destruction and the threat to Ghana’s water bodies have reached alarming levels, requiring urgent and extraordinary government action.

OccupyGhana argued that illegal mining poses a direct danger to national survival, citing constitutional provisions that allow for a state of emergency when the essentials of life are at risk.

The group noted that rivers, forests, and arable lands continue to face massive destruction despite numerous interventions, and urged the government to adopt a stronger, all-of-government approach that goes beyond existing measures.

According to OccupyGhana, the President’s leadership is critical to mobilising national consensus and ensuring that both state institutions and communities work together to end galamsey permanently.

The call adds to mounting pressure from civil society organisations, traditional leaders, and environmental activists who insist that without drastic action, Ghana’s ecological systems and future food security could face irreversible damage.

Source: Adomonline

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The civil society group argues that holding offenders legally accountable would act as a strong deterrent and safeguard the environment, particularly in sensitive regions.

The illegal mining practice, known as galamsey, has recently surged in prominence, drawing concern from various unions and associations. The Ghana Medical Association, among others, has echoed the demand for a three-month ban on all mining activities to address the escalating environmental damage.

In a statement released on Tuesday, September 10, OccupyGhana urged the government to take firm action and prosecute individuals involved in illegal mining.

“Take Immediate Action Against Galamsey Offenders! We call for urgent legal action against persons and companies accused of illegal mining, especially in protected areas. Government inaction, especially concerning politically connected entities, has fostered impunity and undermined public trust. This must be addressed forthwith.”

“Confiscate all Galamsey Lands! We propose an amendment to the law to criminalise landowners making lands available for Galamsey. Unless a landowner can prove that their land was forcibly taken over (by having made a contemporaneous report to the police) they should be taken to have abetted the offence by facilitating it.

“These lands should therefore be confiscated as ‘tainted property’ and then repurposed for public benefit, including reforestation, farming or even regulated mining.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Water Resources Commission also made similar demands recently, calling for the enforcement of mining laws to protect Ghana’s water bodies.

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In a joint statement released on Wednesday, September 4, the CSOs highlighted the bill’s lengthy and challenging journey, stressing that its passage could have addressed numerous instances of unexplained wealth.

However, they claim that the bill is currently encountering significant resistance at the cabinet level.

The CSOs expressed their surprise and concern over the bill’s continued stagnation, especially since it was adopted by Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee as far back as July 2020.

“We firmly believe that the recent controversies surrounding public officials and seemingly unexplained wealth could have been resolved if the 2022 CoPO Bill had been enacted. Perhaps, that is why the Bill is facing strong resistance within Cabinet.

“This is particularly shocking, considering that the 2018 CoPO Bill was previously recommended for Parliament’s adoption with minimal suggestions by the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in July 2020.

“The failure to pass any CoPO Bill since 2013 indicates a lack of commitment from successive governments and parliaments to combat the rising cases of alleged corruption, including procurement breaches and conflicts of interest in the Fourth Republic.”

The CSOs further attributed the growing public perception of corruption to the delays in passing the bill.

“A recent Afrobarometer survey shows that a majority (77%) of Ghanaians believe the level of corruption in the country has increased, and that the government is doing a poor job of fighting it. Additionally, many citizens (69%) perceive widespread corruption in key public institutions but fear retaliation if they report cases to the authorities (CDD, News Release, 28 July 2022).

“As widely reported, corruption undermines public institutions, leading to low public confidence in government and economic systems, and eroding the trust necessary for a functioning market economy.”

The bill is expected to require public officers, among other obligations, to declare their assets upon assuming and leaving office.

Source: Adomonline.com

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In a statement, OccupyGhana appealed to the Attorney General to carry out this duty impartially.

The statement also admonished the Gender and Chieftaincy Ministries to take steps to abolish such practices, adding they cannot be tolerated in modern times.

“While acknowledging the press statement from the Ghana Police that they have identified the girl and are investigating the matter, OccupyGhana calls on the Attorney-General to arrest and prosecute without fear or favour not only the direct perpetrators but also all whose conspiracy and abetment have facilitated this offence.”

“We call on the Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the Chieftaincy ministries to do a better job in rooting out this tasteless practice. Children are our future and protecting them should be a paramount aim for our whole society,” portions of the statement read.

Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, has been in the news over the past few days following reports of his marriage to a minor, Naa Okromo.

Despite justifications that the ceremony was a betrothal and not marriage, hence the child bride will not perform marital duties until 18, there have been calls for his arrest and prosecution.

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Despite the conclusion of the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) inquiry, OccupyGhana remains determined and is contemplating utilizing constitutional provisions to compel the OSP to disclose the businessman’s name.

The group has sought legal counsel to determine whether there is a constitutional right to access information regarding the businessman, whose identity was inexplicably redacted from the OSP’s report.

A statement issued by OccupyGhana indicated that if legal advice confirms their entitlement to this information, they will initiate proceedings under the Right to Information Act to compel the OSP to reveal the businessman’s name.

The OSP had previously announced the conclusion of its investigation, citing a lack of cooperation as the reason for its inability to proceed.

The inquiry was initiated based on a petition filed by OccupyGhana on November 3, 2022, following allegations made by Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Mr. Appiah-Kubi.

According to the six-page report, Mr. Appiah-Kubi’s non-cooperation impeded the investigative process, resulting in insufficient evidence to support criminal proceedings against the identified suspect.

The Majority Leader, during the investigation, denied having direct knowledge of the matter.

In response to the OSP’s findings, OccupyGhana expressed disappointment with the MPs, citing previous bribery allegations in parliament in 2014 and 2017 that yielded no tangible results.

The group criticized the behavior of the MPs, emphasizing the need for them to set a positive example for the public and future generations.

Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, OccupyGhana questioned the suitability of these leaders, suggesting that their actions render them unfit for their roles.

The group expressed a desire for ethical conduct and suggested that resignation would have been an honorable course of action in light of the allegations.

Read the full statement below:

OccupyGhana has read with much disappointment, the report of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (‘OSP’) on the above, dated 28 December 2023.

The OSP’s investigation was triggered by our 3 November 2022 petition to that office to investigate the alleged, attempted bribery of the majority caucus of Parliament by an unnamed businessman.

This was after both Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP and Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, MP, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, had taken turns to make these allegations.

That is why we find shocking the claim by the otherwise respectable Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, MP that the only bases of his allegations, were rumours and Appiah-Kubi, MP’s allegations.

We find it difficult to believe that with all the resources at his disposal, the Majority Leader and Minister would trot out and repeat allegations that he now say he did not verified either beforehand or after-the-fact.

Then there is the reported hostility by Appiah-Kubi, MP towards officers of the OSP and his flat-out refusal to cooperate with the investigation.

What is even more shocking is the report that both Appiah-Kubi, MP (the accuser) and the unnamed businessman (the accused) apparently engaged in a ‘rehearsed and well-choreographed… joint and similar denial’ of the attempted bribery event.

The result is that the OSP could not obtain any prosecution-worthy evidence on yet another allegation of corruption involving Parliament, an institution which has been plagued by and dogged with several corruption allegations over the years.

Although there have been no charges or prosecutions, the repeated allegations that MPs engage in various acts of corruption is not one that Ghanaians can ignore. Some derisorily, and maybe with some justification, refer to our Parliament as ‘Ghana’s leading transactional centre.’

From time to time, some MPs end up confessing that these shenanigans happen. While examples are legion, there has been one assured result – investigations lead to nothing.

For example, in 2014, Alban Bagbin (then MP and now Speaker of the House) was reported to have admitted that ‘there is evidence that some MPs take bribes and come to the floor and try to articulate the views of their sponsors.’ As expected, a reported parliamentary inquiry led to nothing.

In 2017, some minority MPs on the Appointments Committee, led by Mahama Ayariga, MP, reported an attempt to bribed them to approve a ministerial nominee. Another reported parliamentary enquiry led to nothing, as expected.

This time, two senior sitting MPs took turns to announce on radio that an unnamed rich businessman attempted to bribe a section of Parliament’s majority caucus.

These MPs are considered as heavy-weight leaders in our politics, and the least expected of them are dignity and the courage to stand by their convictions, if they have any.

They ought to be good examples for the rest of us and our children. Yet, their behaviour renders them unfit to be leaders. One would have expected them to resign in good conscience, but alas, we are stuck with such mediocrity.

As the OSP indicated in the report, the case is all but dead for lack of serious evidence to prosecute; but these ‘Honourable MPs’ (a phrase that is now generally accepted and understood as an oxymoron) will continue to occupy their seats and offices, and earn their salaries and even ex gratia, not caring about the damage they are causing to this country.

But we are not done yet. We have instructed our lawyers to advise whether we and Ghanaians have the constitutional right to information, to the name of the businessman, which the OSP inexplicably redacted from the report.

If we receive advice that we are entitled to that information, we will commence the relevant proceedings under the Right to Information Act to compel the OSP to reveal the name.

Corruption, like fungi, thrives in darkness and shadows, taking advantage of secrecy, self-imposed redactions, unjustified self-censorship and lack of accountability.

The corruption fungus abhors and cannot stand sunlight, and we will do all in our civil power to direct the power of light unto this matter. It just might produce further evidence that the OSP requires to revive the dead.

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Casely-Hayford passed away on the morning of Friday, December 1, 2023. 

Statement

In a press statement dated December 4, 2023, the group expressed their profound sadness at his passing and touted his good works to the group and the nation.

“Over the past nine years of our existence, Sydney has played a pivotal role in our collective pursuit of good governance and tirelessly advocated for transparency and accountability in the country.

“Among us, we called him ‘Spartacus’, because of his brave, unrelenting and unwavering commitment to the ideals of justice and fairness which has left an indelible mark on us and the broader civil society landscape,” it said.

Social justice

The group further praised his passion for social justice and relentless efforts to hold people in power accountable for their actions, while inspiring members of the group to do the same.

For instance, it said fights with and for the Auditor-General were deeply informed and largely shaped by the late Casely-Hayford’s knowledge of accounting and auditing, and his ability to interpret and explain the Auditor-General’s reports.

“He deserves a lot of the credit for our victory in the Supreme Court decision in OccupyGhana vs the Attorney-General.

“He was also pivotal when we worked on and submitted draft rules on disallowance and surcharge appeals, which the Rules of Court Committee and Parliament enacted as the High Court (Civil Procedure) Amendment No 2, Rules 2016 (CI 102),” it added.

Unity

The statement further said, “We mourn the loss of a true, gallant, gritty and witty occupier and advocate, while recognising his significant impact on the nation.”  

The group extended their deepest condolences to his family, saying they shared in their grief.

‘We already miss our ‘Spartacus’! But may we remember and celebrate Sydney Casely-Hayford for his work and may his spirit inspire us to carry on the torch for good governance, justice and accountability,” it said.

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According to OccupyGhana, the gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, and the explanations provided by officials are far from satisfactory.

“We earnestly urge the President or Parliament (through a resolution) to take immediate steps to form this Commission. Ghanaians have a right to know the precise cause(s) of this catastrophe and whether it was preventable,” a statement from the group demanded.

The group added that, they are deeply concerned about the devastation the spillage has caused, hence their call.

“It strains belief that the rapid increase in water volume at the dam caught us completely off guard, leaving us with no alternative but a massive, destructive spillage.

“It is also alarming to even consider the scale of devastation that could have occurred had the dam faced complete failure, as tragically witnessed in Derna, Libya, resulting in the reported loss of over 11,000 precious lives,” the statement read in parts.

The group has lamented that spillages from other dams, including Burkina Faso’s Bagri Dam and others, pose risks to the people.

It has therefore questioned whether the constantly spilt water is being harnessed wisely and whether Ghana has structures that ensure the optimum utilisation of the vast amounts of water that leave the Akosombo and Kpong/Akuse Dams. 

Citing what it requires of the commission, OccupyGhana said it should establish whether the Akosombo Dam disaster could have been prevented, and those responsible should be held accountable, which may include their removal from their positions. 

Also, if there are indications of criminal acts or negligence, OccupyGhana expects an independent police investigation leading to prosecutions. 

“And if it was indeed an unforeseeable event, this experience has made it foreseeable, and we need to know and understand the measures to be put in place to prevent such a disaster in the future,” the statement added.

Read the full statement below:

The group expressed disappointment with the government’s initial reluctance to enact the Act despite their earlier demands.

OccupygGhana claimed that they had exerted pressure on the government to pass the Act, but their pleas had been ignored.

In a letter addressed to the Cabinet on May 30, they stated that they still supported the passage of the Act.

“We have mixed feelings as we observe the government, which previously disregarded our concerns, now compelled to return to the discussion table. However, we want to clarify that this change of heart is not due to the activism of concerned citizens but rather the dire economic situation of Ghana and the IMF’s demands,” OccupyGhana expressed.

They reassured the government of their readiness to assist the Cabinet in reevaluating the draft Bill, granting approval, and subsequently sending it to parliament for debate and implementation.

OccupyGhana emphasized that the enactment of this Act would effectively regulate the behavior of public officers.

They pledged their support to help the government successfully pass the legislation.

“We firmly believe that enshrining this Bill into law will significantly enhance the regulation of public officers’ conduct and fulfill the government’s recent commitment to the IMF. The Act is expected to address the existing flaws in the assets declaration system, bolster organizational and legal frameworks for combating corruption, and promote accountability and integrity,” OccupyGhana affirmed.

In a rejoinder, the pressure group noted that “We write to further remind you that under section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), Cabinet’s letter containing only ‘factual’ communication of its decision and reasons, ‘is not exempt information.’

“Further, Cabinet cannot purport to assert a privilege (which is denied) that it has already waived by publishing, releasing or granting access to the information.”

“We urgently request that you respond to this letter at your earliest convenience. We will send copies of this letter to all the persons you copied your letter to, the Right to Information Commission to alert them about this development, and all press houses.”

Below is the full rejoinder:

Our ref: OG/2023/008

27 February 2023

Secretary to the Cabinet
Office of the President
Jubilee House
Accra

Dear Madam:

RE: RIGHT TO INFORMATION REQUEST ON THE STATUS OF THE DRAFT CONDUCT OF PUBLIC OFFICERS BILL, 2022

We refer to our letter dated 20 February 2023 on the above matter (our ref: OG/2023/007), in response to yours dated 14 February 2023 (your ref: OPCA.3/3/140223), which informed us of Cabinet’s disappointing decision on whether or not to approve the Draft Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2022 and the accompanying Memorandum for submission to Parliament to enact as law.

In our letter, we invited you to communicate to us in writing, your withdrawal of the marks ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ and ‘SECRET’ on your letter under reference, so that we may share Cabinet’s shocking decision and reasons with the people of Ghana.

We write to further remind you that under section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), Cabinet’s letter containing only ‘factual’ communication of its decision and reasons, ‘is not exempt information.’ Further, Cabinet cannot purport to assert a privilege (which is denied) that it has already waived by publishing, releasing or granting access to the information.

We urgently request that you respond to this letter at your earliest convenience. We will send copies of this letter to all the persons you copied your letter to, the Right to Information Commission to alert them about this development, and all press houses.

Yours in the service of God and Ghana

OccupyGhana

cc. Chief of Staff
Office of the President
Jubilee House
Accra

Right to Information Commission
Accra

cc. Chief of Staff
Office of the President
Jubilee House
Accra

   Secretary to the President
   Office of the President
   Jubilee House
   Accra

   Attorney-General & Minister for Justice
   Office of the Attorney-General & Minister for Justice
   Accra

   Minister for Information
   Ministry of Information
   Accra

   Executive Secretary

Right to Information Commission
Accra

This comes on the back of government’s debt exchange programme amidst the prevailing economic situation.

In a statement, the group said it considers the debt restructuring programme as nothing more than an offer from the government to institutional portfolio investors to accept new terms that vary the terms under which the latter acquired the government’s securities.

“Let the president pay income taxes too. We should remove the tax exemption granted to the President under article 68(5) of the Constitution. While the actual savings from this might not be much, it is hugely significant and relevantly symbolic.

“The president must lead by example. When he pays his taxes, then he can demand that the rest of us pay taxes, too,” the statement read in part.

As part of measures to stabilise the economy, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has launched the programme which has been met with stiff opposition.

Under the programme, domestic bondholders have been asked to exchange their instruments for new ones while existing domestic bonds, as of 1 December 2022, will be exchanged for four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032 and 2037.

Also, the annual coupon on all of these new bonds will be set at 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% from 2025 until maturity.

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But OccupyGhana thinks that the Government has no power under the law and the Constitution to unilaterally impose fresh terms on portfolio investors; negotiation and the mutual consent of all parties will be required.

OccupyGhana has, therefore, proposed alternatives to the government which include the removal of the tax exemption the president enjoys.

The group also reiterated several calls on President Akufo-Addo to downsize his government.

According to the group, the act amounts to “potential corruption.”

They are, thus, asking the OSP to prosecute the alleged businessman if the allegations are proven to be true.

“We wish to draw your attention to these allegations and to petition your good office to investigate these allegations, and if the allegations are established to be true, proceed to prosecute,” the group said in a letter to the OSP on Thursday, November 3. 

OccupyGhana added that it is willing to assist the OSP in this regard. 

“We will be available to assist with this request should there be the need for any assistance from our end,” the letter concluded. 

Already, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has assured that his office will conduct investigation into the claims. 

He said investigation will also focus on unravelling the motive of the said businessman.

Background

It would be recalled that some NPP MPs in an unprecedented move called for the sacking of the Finance Minister, and according to Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, it has been alleged that a wealthy businessman tried to get them to change their stance.

Asante Akim North MP, Andy Appiah Kubi, who is spokesperson for the MPs, confirmed the attempted bribery allegation.

Giving a blow-by-blow account, he said the unnamed wealthy businessman offered a ‘fat’ envelope which contained some undisclosed amount of money for the MPs to back off from their demand.

The two politicians, however, refused to disclose the identity of the businessman.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the group said the hard times Ghanaians are going through is enough evidence that “there is no better time than now to reduce the size of government.

“Times are hard. Things are hard. Very hard. Every Ghanaian is feeling the pinch and pain. To survive, citizens are forced to cut back on some essential things in life. The government, which is largely to blame for the economic mess, must also cut back and more,” OccupyGhana said.

Below is a statement from the group:

Accra, 25 October 2022

MR PRESIDENT, IT IS TIME FOR A ‘LEAN AND MEAN’ GOVERNMENT

There is no time better than now, to reduce the size of the Government.

Times are hard. Things are hard. Very hard. Every Ghanaian is feeling the pinch and pain. To survive, citizens are forced to cut back on some essential things in life. The Government, which is largely to blame for the economic mess, must also cut back and more.

When in early 2017, the sheer size of the Government was revealed, we were not convinced that that was what Ghana required. In our press statement dated 17 March 2022, we criticised the President for that, stating that while ‘a government bureaucracy must be big enough to achieve the aims of the government,’ it must be ‘lean enough not to waste the resources of the state.’ We also pointed out that the ‘considerable amount of money in salaries, allowances and benefits… (in addition to enjoying a range of ex-gratia benefits when they leave office) does not sound to us like a diligent attempt to protect the public purse.’

However, in one of several responses to this criticism and others like ours, the President said to some new ministers that ‘as you know there are some who say my government is too big and there are too many of you. I am a firm believer in the adage the proof of the pudding is in the eating.’ Another time, the President called the size of his Government a ‘necessary investment’ and assured Ghanaians that ‘it is not going to be a holiday’ for the ministers.

Time has tested both ‘the investment’ and ‘the pudding,’ and they have not aged well and have been found wanting. The combined return, two years to the end of the President’s second term, is this debilitating economic crisis. Unless the President’s new and unacceptable argument would be that we would be in a much worse situation but for his still large coterie of ministers, it is time to get ‘lean and mean’. If as citizens, we are compelled to cut down on our private expenses, then it is time for the Government to do the same to protect the public purse.

This is therefore a demand for an immediate and drastic reduction in size, not limited to ministers alone, but all of the President’s non-ministerial appointees. If for nothing at all, the symbolism in the Government also taking a hit, just like the rest of us, is very strong.

These are not normal times and ‘business as usual’ won’t cut it. The excuses for having and paying a large batch of ministers and other appointees to produce the results we see now, to the extent that they have ever been justified (which we deny), wear perilously thin in these times.

 The Group in an open letter dated October 17 said “’galamsey’ is destroying the country and that you [President] need to act, and act quickly and decisively by targeting land owners who allow their lands to be used for ‘galamsey’.”

OccupyGhana stated that “without the lands, there would be no ‘galamsey’.”

“We, therefore, propose an amendment to the law to specifically criminalise the making of land available for galamsey operations, and the confiscation of all such lands to the state,” portions of the letter read.

OccupyGhana in their third reminder to Akufo-Addo further stated that “Our research shows that often, it is the land owners who meet the kingpins and upon being paid or promised payment, quietly agree to look the other way or look on unconcerned as the criminality takes place.

“Several of these landowners quietly earn regular incomes from the galamsey kingpins therefore the need to tackle the ‘galamsey’ fight from that angle too.”

They cited Section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act to back their proposal to incriminate land owners who offer their lands for ‘galamsey’ activities.

“Under section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, persons who provide lands or allow their lands to be used for Galamsey operations could be said to be abetting the offence by ‘facilitating’ it. That abetment attracts fines and imprisonment between 15 and 25 years.”

In view of this, the group wants parliament to be recalled from recess for the government to place before the house, the facts and circumstances leading to the declaration of the state of emergency under article 31(2).

Their call comes at a time when pressure is being mounted on the government to deal with the menace following reports that Ghana may soon import water if nothing is done.

In a statement, OccupyGhana bemoaned Ghana risks losing “our very essence as a nation unless immediate and radical action is taken.”

This, they noted, must first include an action to stop all unregulated and illegal mining, and then put a process in place to regulate artisanal mining, going forward.

“Considering the gravity of the situation, we fully expect Parliament to agree with the government and provide that the state of emergency should remain for such period as Parliament may determine so that the government can get a grasp of the situation,” portions of the statement read.

OccupyGhana in the statement added they have and are willing to offer suggestions and proposals on how to establish a properly regulated artisanal mining industry in Ghana that would benefit the wider interest of all Ghanaians.

Meanwhile, the group said it will use every Monday to remind the President of the need to fight galamsey until a drastic step is taken to bring the menace under control.

Below is the full statement:

Our Ref: OG/2022/038

Accra, 3 October 2022

Mr President:

GALAMSEY REMINDER (NO 1) – DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN ALL MINING AREAS

In our open letter to you dated 28 September 2022, we promised to send you a Galamsey Reminder every Monday morning until your government takes drastic steps to control the situation. This is the first Reminder.

We are convinced that the unprecedented and rampant scale of unregulated and illegal mining has reached a stage where under Article 31(9) of the Constitution, it constitutes a ‘situation in which any action is taken or is immediately threatened to be taken by any person or body of persons which—

(a) is calculated or likely to deprive the community of the essentials of life; or

(b) renders necessary the taking of measures which are required for securing the public safety, the defence of Ghana and the maintenance of public order and of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.’

We risk losing our very essence as a nation unless immediate and radical action is taken, first to STOP all unregulated and illegal mining, and then put a process in place to REGULATE artisanal mining, going forward.

We, therefore, request that you take immediate steps toward declaring a state of emergency in every mining area in Ghana.

In accordance with article 31(1) of the Constitution, these steps would be, first, seeking and obtaining the advice of the Council of State and, second, publishing a Proclamation of the declaration in the Gazette.

Thereafter we expect Parliament to be recalled from its vacation, for the government to place before it ‘the facts and circumstances leading to the declaration of the state of emergency’ under article 31(2). Considering the gravity of the situation, we fully expect Parliament to agree with the government and provide that the state of emergency should remain for such period as Parliament may determine so that the government can get a grasp of the situation.

For our part, we have and are willing to offer suggestions and proposals on how to establish a properly regulated artisanal mining industry in Ghana that would benefit the wider interest of all Ghanaians.

Yours in the service of God and Country

OccupyGhana

It has, thus, written to the Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Justice for an update in that regard.

OccupyGhana has invoked the Right to Information law to seek answers on measures being taken by appropriate authorities following what it says are “allegations of conflict of interest levelled against some government officials”, in recent times.

The draft Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2022 proposes, among others, the removal of the unconstitutional extension of time given to public officers to declare assets and liabilities.

But the draft Bill is yet to obtain Cabinet approval for onward consideration and approval by Parliament.

OccupyGhana has in the past been pushing for the swift passage of the Bill.

“After almost 30 years of the coming into force of this Constitution, we finally have a Draft Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2022, which attempts to set down the specific instances that would be caught under the general prohibition. However, this Bill remains a draft and, to the best of our information, it is yet to obtain Cabinet Approval before it is submitted to Parliament for debate, possible amendments and enactment,” the pressure group lamented in a statement.

Read the full letter below:

We write to request an update on steps being taken to enact the draft Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2022 into law.

Once again, Ghanaians are faced with allegations of conflict of interest levelled against some government officials. And, once again, it is apparent that the debate will continue for a couple of days and simply die down, to be raised again on an undetermined future date when another issue arises. This is not a satisfactory state of affairs.

While the Constitution generally prohibits conflict of interest, the framers apparently left it to the wisdom of Parliament to particularise what Ghana would consider as prohibited conduct. This is what is currently lacking, and we are faced with the abject failure by successive Governments and Parliament to ensure the enactment of a law that would provide us with the necessary details of prohibited conduct. ‘Nature,’ it is said, ‘abhors a vacuum;’ but our political class love vacuums because they thrive in the uncertainty, either to exploit the situation or throw allegations at each other.

We note that although the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice has produced the 2006 Guidelines on Conflict of Interest, those Guidelines do not have the force of law, and do not appear to apply until a report is made to CHRAJ for investigations.

After almost 30 years of the coming into force of this Constitution, we finally have a Draft Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2022, which attempts to set down the specific instances that would be caught under the general prohibition. However, this Bill remains a draft and, to the best of our information, it is yet to obtain Cabinet Approval before it is submitted to Parliament for debate, possible amendments and enactment.

If this draft Bill (with all of its imperfections) was the law, it would have, at least, informed the current debate as follows:

‘Business interests

25. A public officer shall not hold shares or have an interest in a corporation, partnership or other body, directly or through another person, if holding the shares or having that interest will give rise to, or may reasonably appear to give rise to a conflict between the personal interest of that public officer and the functions of that public officer.

Award of contract
26. A public officer shall not award, or seek to award a contract or influence or seek to influence the award of a contract to
(a) the public officer;
(b) the spouse or other relative of the public officer; or
(c) a corporation, partnership or other body in which the public officer has a personal interest.’

We do not want to believe that Cabinet is either reluctant to approve this Bill or pussyfooting around it. What we are certain of is that Cabinet is not treating the Bill with the urgency that Ghanaians deserve. That is why on 29 May 2022, OccupyGhana issued a Press Release that demanded the following:

(1) the President summons an emergency cabinet meeting for the sole purpose of approving the draft Bill;
(2) the Attorney-General provides a clear timeline on when he will submit the Bill to Parliament;
(3) Parliament ensures that it passes the Bill into law before it rises for the long vacation.

As is obvious, Parliament has risen for its long vacation without the Bill even attaining Cabinet approval.

We therefore write to you, in the exercise of our constitutional and statutory right to information, to provide us with information about the status of the Bill, and a clear roadmap that answers the questions that we posed on our Press Release, and which we have repeated above.

Yours in the service of God and Country.

In a second letter dated July 1, 2022, addressed to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, OccupyGhana demanded confirmation of receipt of any disallowance and surcharge certificate issued by the Auditor-General.

The group argued that it had earlier written to the Attorney-General on the same matter and has not received a response.

In the letter which was copied to the Auditor-General, the Executive Secretary, Right to Information Commission, and the Information Officer, Office of the Attorney-General & Ministry of Justice and the media, OccupyGhana also demanded that the Attorney-General should provide evidence of steps taken to enforce the demands in the certificate.

OccupyGhana also expressed concern over the failure of the Attorney-General to either acknowledge receipt of their letter or supply the information they requested.

They have, therefore, entreated the Attorney-General to provide them with the issues they raised in their letter, demanding confirmation of receipt of any disallowance and surcharge certificate issued by the Auditor-General, as well as to provide evidence of steps taken to enforce the demands in the certificate.

The Group, in a letter to the Lands Commission on June 2, said the request stems from the exercise of its right to information under Article 21 of the Constitution.

“Since the coming into force of the Fourth Republican Constitution on 7 January 1993, several parcels of public lands have been released from government ownership or control. These include lands that the government had acquired over the years through outright purchases, statutory vesting, compulsory acquisition or the constitutional freehold reversionary interest under article 266 of the Constitution.

“We are interested in the circumstances surrounding the release of these lands. We, therefore, request, in the exercise of our right to information under article 21 of the Constitution,” the statement read.

OccupyGhana is therefore requesting that the Lands Commission releases information pertaining to the following;

1. A list of all public lands over which government’s ownership or control has been relinquished, and the names of the persons to whom those lands have been released;

2. The respective sizes and locations (suburbs, towns/cities and regions) of all such lands;

3. The conditions of release, whether free, sale, lease or licence;

4. If the land has been leased, the amount of rent paid or payable;

5. Any other amounts paid to or received by government, if any, for each such transaction; and

6. A copy of any existing written Ministerial policy direction to the Lands Commission on these and other related matters.

The Group last month demanded the suspension of the operation of Executive Instrument (E.I) 144 by the government.

In a letter dated May 23, 2022, the CSO said, “We write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith.”

OccupyGhana added that “Instead, we demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve.”

“The purpose of the inquiries would be to reverse any illegal acts perpetrated, and improper gains made, by government officials under the guise of returning lands,” the CSO explained.

“This draft Bill proposes, among others, to remove the unconstitutional extension of time given to public officers to declare assets and liabilities, something that OccupyGhana has campaigned for and demanded for well over five years,” the group, in a statement, said.

The group’s demand comes in the wake of the saga that has unfolded after portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve were discovered bequeathed to beneficiaries in the Will of Sir John.

“Currently, Ghanaians are faced, once again, with the probable scenario of an inexplicable acquisition of assets by a public officer, who it appears, also did not declare his assets and liabilities.

“This is possible because although the Constitution categorically demands that persons being appointed to public office ‘SHALL’ declare their assets ‘BEFORE TAKING OFFICE,’ in 1998, politicians from all the political parties in Parliament, conspired to breach this constitutional provision by passing a law (Act 550) that allows the declaration to be filed up to six months ‘AFTER’ taking office.”

It explained that the effect of this travesty is that for more than two decades, once people assume public office without first declaring assets and liabilities, they either do not declare at all, or sometimes engage in ‘assumptive declarations’ by declaring what they do not have, in expectation that they might, while in office, acquire the assets.

The group accused the Auditor-General of being “the chief facilitator of this grand conspiracy by repeatedly failing to audit or verify the declarations when they are made,” adding that efforts by the group to rectify this have for many years proven futile.

They are, therefore, demanding that the President calls an emergency Cabinet meeting for the sole purpose of approving the Bill.

Read the full statement below:

29 May 2022

OCCUPYGHANA PRESS STATEMENT

OCCUPYGHANA DEMANDS QUICK PASSAGE OF 2022 CONDUCT OF PUBLIC OFFICERS BILL INTO LAW

OccupyGhana has finally obtained a copy of the draft 2022 Conduct of Public Officers Bill. This draft Bill proposes, among others, to remove the unconstitutional extension of time given to public officers to declare assets and liabilities, something that OccupyGhana has campaigned for and demanded for well over five years. We are happy that the draft Bill appears ready to be submitted to Cabinet for approval before it is sent to Parliament for passage into law. We demand that the President calls an emergency Cabinet meeting for the sole purpose of approving the draft Bill. When the Bill gets to Parliament, we fully intend to make submissions on the parts affecting declaration of assets and liabilities and propose ways to make those provisions better, stronger and firmer than they presently are.

Currently, Ghanaians are faced, once again, with the probable scenario of an inexplicable acquisition of assets by a public officer, who it appears, also did not declare his assets and liabilities. This is possible because although the Constitution categorically demands that persons being appointed to public office “SHALL” declare their assets “BEFORE TAKING OFFICE,” in 1998, politicians from all the political parties in Parliament, conspired to breach this constitutional provision by passing a law (Act 550) that allows the declaration to be filed up to 6 months “AFTER” taking office. The effect of this travesty is that for more than two decades, once people assume public office without first declaring assets and liabilities, they either do not declare at all, or sometimes engage in “assumptive declarations” by declaring what they do not have, in expectation that they might, while in office, acquire the assets or make sham payments in purported satisfaction of sham debts declared.

The office of the Auditor-General has been the chief facilitator of this grand conspiracy by repeatedly failing to audit or verify the declarations when they are made. It might be recalled that it took a formal demand by OccupyGhana dated 30 January 2018 for even some eligible officers of the Audit Service itself to scramble to declare their assets and liabilities. The attempts by former Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Domelevo, to computerise the assets declaration system to facilitate easier audit and verification appears to have left office with him. That is why OccupyGhana will demand that the Bill provides for transition from the paper-based declarations to an automated system within a year of its passage.

On 1 December 2019, after about two years of campaigning on this issue, OccupyGhana formally wrote to the Attorney-General and demanded the repeal of the unconstitutional extension. On 8 January 2020, the Attorney-General wrote to communicate agreement with our position, promising to start work on the repeal. Our reminders on 16 July and 24 September 2021 however went unheeded. On 21 October 2021, we wrote to the Special Prosecutor, inviting him to join our campaign on this matter. He responded to communicate his agreement with our position and the repeal demanded too.

Since the power to repeal that law is vested in only Parliament, pursuant to a Bill submitted by the Executive, we were powerless to do anything about this on our own, in the face of repeated, blatant and unpunished breaches of the Constitution on this matter, short of going to court. But as we mulled over court action, we received this copy of the 2022 draft Bill, showing that the Attorney-General is indeed seeking a new law that incorporates our primary concern and revokes the criminally illogical interpretation of the word ‘BEFORE’ to mean ‘AFTER.’

We are reliably informed that the draft Bill is awaiting Cabinet approval before it is submitted to Parliament. We do not understand why that Cabinet approval should be delayed. The repeal of this longstanding unconstitutionality, blot on the national conscience and gateway to corruption, is long overdue. Cabinet cannot be seen to be pussyfooting around this issue. We believe that we speak for the vast majority of Ghanaians when we demand that:

(1)​the President summons an emergency cabinet meeting for the sole purpose of approving the draft Bill;

(2)​the Attorney-General provides a clear timeline on when he will submit the Bill to Parliament;

(3)​Parliament ensures that it passes the Bill into law before it rises for the long vacation.

We have published a copy of the draft Bill on our website (https://occupyghana.com/2022/05/conduct-of-public-officers-bill-2022/) so that all interested Ghanaians will have access to it, and be able to participate meaningfully in the forthcoming debate on its provisions.

In the service of God and Country

OccupyGhana

The group says it is deeply dismayed and disappointed at what is becoming the regular, violent misbehaviour of MPs.

“But over and over again, and in less than 12 months, this Parliament of the Fourth Republic has abandoned even pretexts of good and democratic behaviour, and is competing with itself for the designation as the worst group of MPs (a bunch of cheap, uncouth, violent and childish, playground-bullies) that Ghana has had the misfortune of electing, in her entire history of electing MPs,” the group lamented.

In a statement, the group described the action as despicable, “uncouth, dishonourable, un-Ghanaian, and an absolute embarrassment to the nation” and will not be placated with an unqualified apology as has been the norm.

The statement stressed the actions have dire consequences for the country’s democracy.

“What our MPs appear to have blissfully forgotten is that whenever coups have interrupted our democratic dispensations, it is Parliament that suffers the most, among our democratic institutions.

“With that in mind, one would think that MPs would not conduct themselves in a manner that shows that they themselves are given to undemocratic conduct,” portions of the statement read.

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Meanwhile, the group added it disagrees with the position of the Police that it is powerless to intervene in issues on the floor of Parliament.

Read the full statement by OccupyGhana below:

OCCUPYGHANA® DEMANDS PROSECUTION OF ROGUE MEMBERS OF GHANA’S 8TH PARLIAMENT

OccupyGhana®️ is deeply dismayed and disappointed at what is becoming the regular, violent misbehaviour of Members of Parliament. The nation witnessed the latest mass, violent misbehaviour on December 20, 2021, on the floor of Parliament.

MPs were aware, yet unconcerned, that the entire nation was watching on live National Television, when they engaged in despicable acts of trading insults and punches in a manner that can best be described as uncouth, dishonourable, un-Ghanaian and an absolute embarrassment to the nation.

What our MPs appear to have blissfully forgotten is that whenever coups have interrupted our democratic dispensations, it is Parliament that suffers the most, among our democratic institutions. With that in mind, one would think that MPs would not conduct themselves in a manner that shows that they themselves are given to undemocratic conduct.

But over and over again, and in less than 12 months, this Parliament of the Fourth Republic has abandoned even pretexts of good and democratic behaviour, and is competing with itself for the designation as the worst group of MPs (a bunch of cheap, uncouth, violent and childish, playground-bullies) that Ghana has had the misfortune of electing, in her entire history of electing MPs.

No Ghanaian, regardless of their political party affiliation, should treat this misbehaviour by our MPs lightly. That is why OccupyGhana®️ believes that the usual ‘unqualified’ apology will not suffice. In fact, it will add insult to the injury caused by them to the good people of this country.

Since the law is no respecter of persons, those MPs caught on camera engaging in violence should be made to face the law.

We note that the police have already indicated by its public statement dated 21st December 2021, that it is powerless to intervene in this matter.

We disagree. None of the immunities granted by the Constitution to MPs in articles 115 to 120, covers crimes committed anywhere, including the floor of Parliament.

Specifically, the MP’s immunity in article 116 is specifically limited to “any matter or thing brought by him in or before Parliament by petition, bill, motion or otherwise.” There is no possible interpretation of this immunity that would cover the crimes we saw them commit on TV.

Further, article 122 of the Constitution, which provides that acts that obstruct or impede Parliament or affront its dignity constitute contempt of Parliament, does not distinguish between MPs and non-MPs. Article 123 then provides that even the exercise by Parliament of the power to punish for contempt, “shall not be a bar to the institution of proceedings under the Criminal Law.”

The acts of assault, battery and unlawful fights we watched on live TV constitute criminal acts, and the people of Ghana should never be told that MPs can get away with crimes once they commit those crimes in Parliament.

We doubt that this Parliament and its leadership will have the decency or courage to charge and punish any of these members for contempt under the Parliament Act, 1965 (Act 300). But surely, those with prosecutorial power must institute criminal prosecution.

While we all may bear some blame for tolerating this level of despicably bad behaviour from our elected officials, in giving them a pass whenever they misbehave and then apologising, this is when Ghanaians draw a line in the sand. Ghana deserves better. We need to restore confidence in Parliament by punishing every erring MP.

In the interest of God and Country,

The latest to join is pressure group, OccupyGhana which is convinced the Minister must go for signing a contract without Parliamentary approval.

The Parliamentary Committee that probed the Sputnik V vaccine contract said Mr Agyeman-Manu is complicit.

Their report also concluded that the Minister breached constitutional provisions on prior Parliamentary approval and the Public Procurement Act.

“The Committee found that the amount of $2,850,000.00 (representing 50% of the contract sum of $5,700,000.00) has been paid to Messrs Al Maktoum and this translates into the cedi equivalent of ¢16,331,640.00 converted at the then prevailing exchange rate of $1 to ¢5.73 whereas the Minister said he had no knowledge of payment under oath,” the report revealed.

Based on this backdrop, OccupyGhana is urging the Health Minister to resign even if if he meant well.

“Even if he meant well under emergency circumstances, those did not justify bypassing our constitutional and statutory processes. If the Health Minister does not resign on his own accord, then we call on the President to relieve him of his post,” the statement said.

Below is the full statement:

OCCUPYGHANA®️ CALLS FOR RESIGNATION OR DISMISSAL OF HEALTH MINISTER AND FOR PARLIAMENT TO STOP ABDICATING ITS RESPONSIBILITY UNDER ARTICLE 181(5)

OccupyGhana®️ has seen a copy of the ‘REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE PROCUREMENT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA AND HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH AHMED DALMOOK AL MAKTOUM AND S L GLOBAL FOR THE SUPPLY OF SPUTNIK-V COVID-19 VACCINES,’ dated August 2021. We have also seen the 3 August 2021 letter from the Ministry of Health, addressed to the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee, titled ‘SUBMISSION OF FURTHER INFORMATION TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE PROCUREMENT OF SPUTNIK-V COVID-19 VACCINES.’

It is clear to us from the above that the Health Minister entered into an international business transaction and paid or supervised the payment of monies under the transaction without parliamentary approval, without cabinet approval, without Public Procurement Authority approval or ratification and without the endorsing advice of the Attorney-General.

We do not think that the emergency situation created by the pandemic and the urgency required, constituted sufficient reasons to bypass all of these steps that are required by law. As Parliament has indicated, it would have acted with the speed and urgency that the emergency required, had the request for approval been made to it.

We are further struck that although payment was made under the transaction, the Minister said he did not know about it, as at when he testified before Parliament. Contrary to this claim, the Health Minister was copied in the letter from the 31 March 2021 letter from Acting Controller and Accountant-General to the Bank of Ghana requesting BOG to make the advance payment to Al Maktoum from the Health Ministry’s accounts. That letter also referred to a 25 March 2021 letter from the Ministry of Finance, obviously authorising the payment, and which must have been copied to the Health Minister.

It is unbelievable that at each of these stages of payment requests, the accompanying, supporting documents did not include the approvals mentioned above. It beggars belief that the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Controller and Accountant-General and Bank of Ghana would pay out government monies without seeing or demanding to see any of the stated approvals.

It is on the basis of the foregoing that we demand that the Health Minister resigns from office. Even if he meant well under emergency circumstances, those did not justify bypassing our constitutional and statutory processes. If the Health Minister does not resign of his own accord, then we call on the President to relieve him of his post.

While calling for this resignation, we also believe that Ghanaians ought to be told which other officials were involved in processing and paying the monies, without demanding and seeing the requisite approvals; those officials ought to be similarly sanctioned. Also, Ghanaians should be told when we expect to receive a full refund of the outstanding amount from the recipient.

Further, this incident and several others before it, bring again into sharp focus the refusal, neglect or failure of Parliament to enact the law that would clarify article 181(5), as demanded by the Constitution itself. Article 181(5) of the Constitution applies its loan approval procedures involving parliamentary approval, to international business and economic transactions, in the following terms: ‘This article shall, WITH THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS BY PARLIAMENT, apply to an international business or economic transaction to which the Government is a party as it applies to a loan’ [emphasis ours.]

Clearly, although the framers of the Constitution wanted such transactions to have parliamentary oversight (just as loans), they anticipated that some modifications would be necessarily required to make them apposite, and therefore empowered Parliament to take legislative action in that regard.

It cannot be seriously contended that Parliament has not found that there are any modifications are required. The facts show that Parliament’s inaction has left a huge gap in our governance structure, allowing ministers to do as they please, and sadly ceded this important law-making function to the Supreme Court.

Thus, based on the ‘accident’ of litigation, the Supreme Court has been compelled, not only to interpret article 181(5), but to make rules governing its application; something Parliament should have done. Thus, in cases such as ATTORNEY-GENERAL v FAROE ATLANTIC, KLOMEGA v ATTORNEY-GENERAL, ATTORNEY-GENERAL v BALKAN ENERGY and AMIDU v ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the Supreme Court has been practically compelled to ‘legislate’ on this matter, and lay down the conditions for it, a constitutional function that Parliament has clearly abdicated.

Particularly in ATTORNEY-GENERAL v BALKAN ENERGY, one can literally feel the desperation of the Supreme Court as it was compelled to ‘imply’ the word ‘major’ into article 181(5), and define that term as it felt appropriate. The Court added:

‘We do… agree with the defendants that Parliament needs to exercise its legislative power in relation to article 181(5) in order to clarify which transactions are to be viewed as major…

It is… imperative that Parliament takes up early the challenge of framing the modifications to article 181 needed to give greater certainty and clarity as to what categories of international business or economic transactions to which the Government is a party come within the ambit of article 181(5). In the interim, a certification by the Attorney-General that an international business transaction to which the Government is a party is “major” or not should be accorded great weight by the courts, although it cannot be conclusive. We are here, of course, referring to the Attorney-General’s certification before a dispute has arisen between the Government and any party.’

We are also aware that over a decade ago, the then Attorney-General wrote to Parliament with an urgent plea to pass the law required under article 181(5), because the lack of clarity was affecting government business.

These pleas by the Judiciary and the Executive to Parliament, have obviously fallen on deaf ears. Instead of making the rules, Parliament is often found citing these cases, as it did in its Report, oblivious to the blindingly obvious irony. Instead of taking the lead and making the law, Parliament appears content with following the Supreme Court’s lead. The effect of this abdication is that there is no single source of the law on the matter, leaving ministers and actors to do as they please, and the article is only applied to those who get ‘caught’ when they flout it.

We therefore call upon Parliament to, as a matter of urgency, draft, consider and pass the required legislation that will give to article 181(5) the clarity anticipated by the framers of the Constitution, demanded by the Supreme Court and prayed for by the Executive through the Attorney-General.

Yours, for God and Country

OccupyGhana®️

OccupyGhana also decried the President’s call on affected parties to “go to court”.

In a press statement copied to Adomonline.com on Friday, May 28, the Group said President Akufo-Addo is aware that the “burn-on-sight’ policy being used to sanction the activities of illegal miners is in itself an illegality.

President Akufo-Addo, while delivering the keynote speech at the sod-cutting ceremony to mark the commencement of the construction of new premises for the Ghana School of Law on 26 May 2021, defended the government’s ‘burn-on-sight’ policy.

According to him, affected parties should seek legal redress if they believe they feel unduly shortchanged.

“I know there are some who believe that the ongoing exercise of ridding our water bodies and forest zones of harmful equipment and machinery is unlawful and, in some cases, harsh,” he said.

However, reacting to the President’s statement, Occupy Ghana expressed shock about the President’s “endorsement of the palpable illegality and obvious breach of the rule of law by government.”

According to the Group, confiscating the machines as stated in the law and tracing its owners would have achieved better results.

Read the full statement below:

OCCUPYGHANA STATEMENT ON THE GOVERNMENT’S EXTRA-LEGAL AND EXTRA-JUDICIAL ‘BURN-ON-SIGHT’ PUNISHMENT FOR THE CRIME OF ILLEGAL MINING

We have grave reservations over comments reportedly made by the President while delivering the keynote speech at the sod-cutting ceremony to mark the commencement of the construction of new premises for the Ghana School of Law on 26 May 2021. For such an auspicious and august event, the words of the President are likely to be immortalised and generations of law students will be referred to that speech. However, we are unable to agree with the headlining of that speech with an endorsement of the palpable illegality and obvious breach of the rule of law by government’s current ‘burn-on-sight’ punishment exacted on alleged illegal miners. We are also unable to agree with the President’s dismissive challenge to well-meaning law-abiding Ghanaians who have pointed that illegality and breach out, to go to court.

The President knows that he is wrong, and that Ghana law on ‘tainted property’ (which is what the excavators are) does not authorise the government’s ‘burn-on-sight’ policy. In each of the 2006 Minerals and Mining Act (as amended), the 2010 EOCO Act, the 2017 Office of the Special Prosecutor Act and the 2020 Narcotics Control Commission Act, special provisions are made on how ‘tainted property’ (defined to include property that is used to commit a crime) may be seized and then confiscated to the state by court orders. The current ‘burn-on-sight’ policy would mean that all of those properties could be set on fire on sight, a clear breach of the relevant laws. No one needs a court to say that to Ghanaians. We know it. The President knows it. We challenge the President to follow the law.

For the records, we as OccupyGhana® started to campaign against illegal mining, as far back as 2015. After the President’s election, we were impressed when he called the bluff of galamsey operators and declared that he was prepared to stake his presidency on ensuring that the law was applied and complied with. On 5 March 2017, we issued a press statement with an unqualified endorsement of the President’s statements and actions at the time.

However, we were soon to be disappointed. When Aisha Huang was first arrested, government operatives schemed to charge her with some risibly minor Immigration offences that would have attracted ridiculously low fines, in Case No CR 344/2017 dated 8 May 2017. When we were alerted about this, we immediately petitioned the then Attorney-General on 16 May 2017, protesting the ridiculous charges and demanding that the proper mining offences be laid.

We were gratified when the Attorney-General then amended the offending and offensive charge sheet and duly charged Ms Huang with the appropriate mining offences, which could have sent her to jail. What we did not know at the time was that the government had absolutely no appetite or interest in putting her on trial, and that it had all been a façade. It turned out that our petition and the filing of the proper charges would rather trigger the government spiriting her away from justice in Ghana to freedom in her native China under a dubious nolle prosequi filed by the same Attorney-General who we had forced to file the proper charges.

Some two years after Ghanaians had started and continued protesting this decision, the then Senior Minister in April 2019, let the cat out of the bag and provided the shocking justification that has been an open secret till then: that the government had been compelled to let her go to maintain a good relationship with China, manifested in the Sinohydro project, which he claimed, was going to help process bauxite and provide $2B to Ghana. He added “there are other things behind the scenes. Putting that lady (Aisha) in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems. It is not going to make you happy or me happy, that’s not important.”

We responded with a press release dated 23 April 2019, and we did not mince any words in expressing our dismay, saying that “this statement suggests that, at the right price tag, foreigners implicated in the appalling desecration of Ghana’s environment, rivers and laws can be exonerated. It positions foreigners who break/flout our laws as untouchable and above the law because their countries offer economic partnerships and benefits. It sacrifices the enforcement of our laws and the safeguarding of our environmental resources on the cheap altar of present gain.” We demanded an apology, and of course, none was offered to Ghanaians.

Subsequently, the President himself was to do a ‘mea culpa’ at an event held at Princeton University on 20 September 2019, confessing to the wrongness of the decision. The President said “I think it was a mistake and the response to that has been the amendment of the law that has now stiffened and enhanced the sanctions for people, both Ghanaians and foreigners who are engaged.”

In our press release dated 23 September 2019 we excoriated the President and hoped that that would be the end of illegal acts by the government on this matter. We said: “We appreciate the President’s candour in admitting this mistake. We agree with him that that decision was a mistake, a grave and regrettable one. What we are concerned with is that it had to take hindsight, an understating of the situation only after it had happened and almost two years after the fact, for the Government to realise how bad a mistake that was. Ghanaians knew right from the start that it was a mistake and said so to the Government, which ignored us, making this regret very little and very late.”

It is interesting that the “amendment of the law,” which the President touted then as the answer, having “stiffened and enhanced…sanctions,” is the 2019 amendment to the Minerals and Mining Act, that the government is now happy to breach, and then challenge others to go to court over. We did not believe the President then, and said to him that “while the legislative amendment that enhances the punishment regime for mining-related offences might deter some from engaging in Galamsey, we do not see how that, in and of itself, will prevent the repetition of the government’s mistake. That is because the mistake, the decision to free Aisha Huang without trial, had nothing to do with the law as it existed at the time.” We are unhappy that the President has proven us right in being cynical about his willingness to follow even the law he touted at the time.

We have always maintained that the fight against illegal mining can only be fought with the law and not by illegal government action. The law on how to deal with this matter of illegal mining was clearly set out in the 2006 Minerals and Mining Act. In 2015, the John Mahama-led government, unhappy with the crime and punishment regime under that Act, rightly caused that regime to be enhanced by an amendment that received presidential assent on 16 December 2015. The current government, also unhappy with even that enhancement, rightly followed suit and led parliament to pass another amendment in 2019, which the President assented to on 19 August 2019. Basically, Parliament has given to this government the strongest anti-illegal mining legislation in the nation’s history, and the President touted this as the answer, although we did not believe him.

The President is aware that the 2019 amendment and that of his predecessor were required because under article 19 (11) of the Constitution, the government has no power to punish anyone for any offence unless and until that offence is, firstly, defined, and secondly and more importantly, the punishment for it is also prescribed under written law. The 2019 amendment that this government led, passed, assented to and touted, does just that. It defines the specific offences and prescribes both the punishment and procedure for exacting that punishment. The President knows that nowhere in that law, is the current ‘burn-on-sight’ punishment prescribed, which makes it extra-legal, extra-judicial and consequently unconstitutional.

The President knows that he is wrong, and that no interpretation of the clear language of his government’s own 2019 amendment supports the current ‘burn-on-sight’ policy. And that is why we find the President’s ‘go to court’ challenge unfortunate. It is a bet on the factor of time and expense that ordinary Ghanaians would have to spend in fighting in court, to allow the government perpetrate this palpable illegality and grave unconstitutionality.

We do not believe that it is impossible to locate, arrest and prosecute the owners of the excavators and ‘chanfangs’. These equipment and machinery were imported into Ghana through the harbours. The entire importation system in Ghana is, thankfully, fully computerised. Thus, the chassis numbers and other identification details of these equipment and machinery used for illegal mining are or should be in the databases of either or both of GHAPOHA and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Further, the excavators could not have been moved to destinations throughout Ghana without licensing at the now highly computerised DVLA.

Therefore, we believe that government can easily ascertain ownership of the equipment from these government bodies, arrest and prosecute the owners, and then obtain the requisite confiscatory orders from the court.

Further, since the 2019 amendment requires prosecution and conviction before confiscation, which now appears to be a problem when the equipment is abandoned, the government must simply send a bill to parliament under a certificate of urgency to amend the law, so that the court will be empowered to make the confiscatory order when the equipment and machinery are abandoned in a mining area and no one has shown up to claim them within a specified time.

The President should not challenge Ghanaians to go to court. We rather challenge him to follow the law, and respect the principles of constitutionalism and rule of law, which remain the cornerstones of our democracy. We challenge the President to stop the “burn-on-sight” policy. If the government needs another amendment, it should go back to Parliament. But exacting extra-legal and extra-judicial punishment on alleged offenders should stop forthwith.

Yours, for God and Country

OccupyGhana®

According to the group, the event is a possible spreader of Covid-19 as it goes contrary to the Imposition of Restriction Act.

“We are not opposed to the holding of religious events. But we need no reminders that the dangerous and murderous Covid-19 is still present and active with us. That is why the government has imposed protocols by law, which demand compliance, even by churches; and our local churches have largely been exemplar in this regard. On the contrary, we are seeing the colossal human disaster that is unfolding in India, caused largely by unrestrained political activities and religious events that did not respect Covid-19 protocols.

“That is why we are shocked that the authorities could either actively or negligently allow this event to be held in Accra, especially by a religious organisation whose leader actively denies the virus and preaches against the protocols,” part of a statement copied to JoyNews by the group read.

The concerns by OccupyGhana come after footage showing people worshipping without face masks and disregarding the social distancing protocols surfaced online.

Already some Ghanaians who are unhappy about the development have also taken to their various social media platforms to condemn the actions of the church and demand an intervention by government.

But the CSO in its press statement said while it is not against church services and conferences, the Covid-19 protocols must be strictly adhered to by all attendees.

OccupyGhana also urged government to ensure that further meetings and events that flout the Covid-19 protocols are prevented from taking place.

“While the authorities investigate this matter, we call on the government to immediately stop any further meetings and apply the law on Covid-19 protocols to the organisers of this event to the fullest extent possible.

“The key lesson from covid is this: If you pile thousands of people together, maskless, Covid spreads! We all should have learnt that by now! Even more, studies have shown that air-conditioners may help spread the virus.”

The statement concluded by warning government that its handling of the issue will indicate to Ghanaians its seriousness when it comes to the fight against Covid-19.

“We hope that the authorities have learned the painful lesson on how the ‘kids-glove’ treatment of Aisha Huang all but killed the fight against Galamsey, that the way the government treats such a flagrant breach of our laws will tell Ghanaians how serious we are about this fight.”

A lot has happened since he was controversially ordered to go on leave, an action with which we vehemently disagreed, as expressed in our Press Statement dated 9th July 2020.

The purpose of this release is to set out some of these developments that have happened in his absence, and to show how much work is cut out for him, for the remainder of his term of office.

First, we note with much concern, that the exercise of the Auditor-General’s power to disallow and surcharge appears to have gone on leave with Mr Domelevo.

The most recent Report of the Auditor-General on MDAs for 2019, which was published in his absence, barely mentioned disallowances and surcharges.

Yet it contained the usual retinue of infractions that should have attracted disallowances and surcharges in accordance with article 187(7) of the Constitution and in compliance with the 2017 Supreme Court decision in OCCUPYGHANA V ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

There appeared to be a clear nosedive or volte face, an attempt to return to the dark days before the Supreme Court decision when Auditor-General Reports were an exercise of empowered impotence, and successive Auditors-General had meekly abandoned their disallowance and surcharge powers by merely making recommendations in the face of blatant thievery, and to which recommendations were paid slight attention and scant regard.

Second, we note that in the Auditor-General’s absence, there have been at least 2 cases filed and pending at the Supreme Court, challenging the power of the President to direct an Auditor-General to go on leave. We await the decisions.

Third, and on our part, we were granted leave by the Supreme Court to file an Amicus Brief in another pending action that seeks the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the constitutional delineation of the functions and powers between the Auditor-General and the Audit Service Board. We await that decision too.

Fourth, we note that some appeals against disallowances and surcharges, filed under the provisions of CI 102 (the enactment of which we prompted by writing, and then submitting an first draft, to the Rules of Court Committee) have advanced to the Supreme Court.

In one such case, the apex court has clarified and distilled further, the circumstances under which the disallowance and surcharge powers may be exercised. We welcome that decision.

Fifth, there were comments by the minister-designate for National Security, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah on the exercise of these powers, claiming that they were subject to Parliamentary control. In our press release dated 16th February 2021, we strongly disagreed with him, pointing out how his position runs counter to the Constitution.

We have since had a direct and very constructive engagement with him and we are probably convinced that he may no longer hold that view.

Sixth, we have also noted that the simmering friction with the Audit Service Board has reared its head even before Mr Domelevo re-enters his office. We do not shy away from constitutional friction, because that is how the law gets developed.

That is why we hope that, first, the members of Board appointed by the President, including the Board Chair, have ascertained that their continued stay in office after 6 January 2021 complies with the 2012 Presidential (Transition) Act as clarified by the 2019 Supreme Court in DONKOR V ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

We hope that they have also ascertained that notwithstanding any alleged or purported extension of their respective terms of office in the latter part of 2020, they have not been subsequently and effectively removed from office by the Chief of Staff’s letter on the matter, dated 12 January 2021, ref: SCR/DAB9/314/01.

We hope the affected Board members have advised themselves that although the Board is established by the Constitution, their tenure was set down by statute (the Audit Service Act), and that that tenure was then effectively amended by Presidential (Transition) Act. And, the Chief of Staff’s letter under reference does not contain any exceptions with respect to the Board.

We further hope that the Audit Service Board, to the extent that it has capacity to still act, if it has any valid grounds for challenging Mr Domelevo being in office, will comply with the constitutional procedure for such challenges, and not seek to take the law into its own hands.

It is against this background that we welcome Mr Domelevo back. He has just a few months to retire and we are confident that he will discharge his functions and exercise his powers over this period in a way that will reinforce the magnitude and critical relevance of that office.

Under our constitutional dispensation, the Office of the Auditor-General is a key independent office that the Constitution has created (along with others such as the Electoral Commission) to essentially provide checks and balances to the otherwise awesome power of the executive under the same Constitution. Long may it remain so.

Yours in the service of God and Country

OccupyGhana®️

They believe the Company owes a duty of care to the lady and all customers who visit their premises and their failure to do this cannot be left unsanctioned.

In a statement, the Group said “it appears the lady was assaulted as a result of an instruction by the Company’s officers to the offending police officer to remove her from the premises. Then they either stood by while she was subjected to the beatings or only made half-hearted attempts to stop it.

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“That suggests that the Company and its officers, at the very least, instigated, facilitated, encouraged or promoted the policeman’s offences,” the statement added.

“Maybe this criminal beating of the lady, masks or portends some financial danger where that Company is concerned,” the statement said.

Below is a copy of the full statement:

OCCUPYGHANA® CONDEMNS ASSAULT OF WOMAN BY POLICE AT MIDLAND SAVINGS AND LOANS COMPANY PREMISES

OccupyGhana®, like several Ghanaians, is horrified at the videos showing the senseless assault and battering of a woman simply on account of her alleged refusal to leave a banking hall, insisting on being paid her money.

We are gratified to read the statements issued by the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Bar Association on the matter, and we do not intend to repeat any of the matters they have stated.

We would, however, add other comments and observations on the matter, particularly on the role of the Midland Savings and Loans Company and its officers.

First, the Company, as the occupier of the property where the harm was caused to the lady, should not escape blame and sanctions. We believe that the Company owes a duty of care to the lady and all those who visit those premises, whether invited or permitted, to ensure their safety while on the premises. Thus even if the Company was not directly involved in the harm caused to the lady, it should be liable to compensate her for the harm caused to her while on its premises.

Second, and worse, it appears the lady was assaulted as a result of an instruction by the Company’s officers to the offending police officer to remove her from the premises. Then they either stood by while she was subjected to the beatings or only made half-hearted attempts to stop it. That suggests that the Company and its officers, at the very least, instigated, facilitated, encouraged or promoted the policeman’s offences. Without meaning to show the police how to do its work, we believe that the ongoing criminal investigations should also explore bringing abetment of crime charges against the Company and its officers.

Third, we are concerned that the underlying cause of this matter was the failure or refusal of the Company to return to a depositor, funds to which she was legitimately entitled. In the wake of the recent administrative and other actions and sanctions taken against banks and deposit-taking entities by the Bank of Ghana, involving the possible endangering and misuse of depositor-funds, we are extremely worried that the Company was unable to refund to a depositor, an amount that was less than GHS300. We believe that the Bank of Ghana ought to investigate the circumstances surrounding this. Maybe this criminal beating of the lady, masks or portends some financial danger where that Company is concerned.

Fourth, and as a general comment, we wonder whether poor Ghanaians are still being subjected to such gross human rights abuses by law enforcement agencies. It is important that servants of the state who are provided with the force of arms that are supplied with our tax monies primarily for our protection are continuously trained in the rudiments of respecting the human rights of the citizen.

Yours in service of God and Country.

OccupyGhana®

‘We as a people should hang our collective heads in shame for this despicable act. It behoves us all to lend our voice in calling for a thorough investigation into this rank act. It is incumbent on all of us to not rest until the actors in the morbid killing of Captain Mahama are found, arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,’ it said in a statement.

The statement wondered if the country is infested with nefarious where good people are now falling victims in their quest to serve Ghana.

‘Is it not ironic and tragic that in his quest to fight these plagues, he fell to another? Is our nation so infested with the wrong and nefarious that good people are now falling victim as they seek to serve this great nation?,’ it asked.

OccupyGhana described as barbaric, unfair and criminal the gruesome murder of Captain Mahama.

‘It is unconstitutional, barbaric, unjust, unfair and criminal, and often has fatal consequences, as was the case of Captain Mahama. It often ensnares the innocent and deprives law enforcement of the chance to thoroughly investigate cases,’ it said.

Read details of the statement below:

OCCUPYGHANA® CONDEMNS THE LYNCHING OF CAPTAIN MAXWELL ADAM MAHAMA BY A MOB IN DENKYIRA-OBUASI It is alleged that in the early morning hours of May 29, 2017, one Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama went jogging along a road in Denkyira-Obuasi, in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central region.

He belonged to the 5th Infantry Battalion (5BN) at Burma Camp in Accra but was stationed in Denkyira-Obuasi where he commanded a detachment of soldiers officially deployed for duties in the Upper Wassa Forest Reserve. It is alleged that he wore a pistol in a holster as he ran.

Allegedly, a woman who saw him mistakenly assumed he was an armed robber. It is further alleged that there had been a robbery in the town recently, and so she alerted others who organized a mob. Whatever the truth is, this poor captain was attacked by the mob from the town. He was stoned to death and his body set on fire. He died ignominiously. We have seen videos circulating on social media that purports to record aspects of this horrific incident.

We at OccupyGhana® wish to extend our condolences to his family, the wife and children he has left behind and the Ghana Armed Forces for this loss. It was not too long ago when the ire of the nation was raised over a young woman being stripped naked and abused by a mob in Kumasi.

The woman was allegedly caught attempting to steal GH¢1,100 from a shop owner in the PZ Area in Adum, Kumasi, an allegation that later was found to be false. The practice of mob justice is unfortunately a rather dark side of our country’s history and does not seem to want to go away. It is unconstitutional, barbaric, unjust, unfair and criminal, and often has fatal consequences, as was the case of Captain Mahama. It often ensnares the innocent and deprives law enforcement of the chance to thoroughly investigate cases. Moreover, it denies victims due process and constitutes an abuse of their human rights and violation of their dignity. And, our Constitution demand respect of the right to life and outlaws all extra-judicial killing.

The brutal murder of the Captain exhibits a certain depravity and wanton disregard for the sanctity of human life that leaves a rather deep stain on our nation. Should his life not have mattered more than the wish to mete out justice beside the road somewhere in Denkyira? Should we not always put life first? This dastardly act also exposes a dire lack of appreciation of what human rights and dignity are.

The perpetrators of this heinous crime may have mirrored our nation and its people’s sore lack of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of these basic human entitlements. Reports indicate that the Captain was in the Denkyira area as part of the military’s “Operation Calm Life” involving fight armed robbery and illegal small-scale mining or galamsey, twin scourges that are plaguing our dear nation.

Is it not ironic and tragic that in his quest to fight these plagues, he fell to another? Is our nation so infested with the wrong and nefarious that good people are now falling victim as they seek to serve this great nation?

We as a people should hang our collective heads in shame for this despicable act. It behoves us all to lend our voice in calling for a thorough investigation into this rank act. It is incumbent on all of us to not rest until the actors in the morbid killing of Captain Mahama are found, arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

We as Ghanaians should stand up against mob justice whenever and wherever it happens. It is high time that this malignant and festering cancer is rooted out of our civil society that is quickly turning uncivil.

Further, we all need to remind ourselves that each of us is endowed with unalienable human rights and dignity that is buttressed by our Constitution and that we all need to respect those rights as it pertains to ourselves and to others.

Then and only then will God bless this homeland Ghana and make us great and strong. Yours, in the perpetual Service of God & Country OccupyGhana.

The five were arrested by the GIS about two weeks ago and are being held in prison custody until their next appearance in court. The case was adjourned to 23 May 2017. Ms Huang operates with a gang comprising Gao Jin Cheng, 45, Lu Qi Jun, 39, Haibin Gao, 26, and Zhang Zhi Peng, 23.

According to OG, they have discovered that Ms Huang and her accomplices have been charged with the offences of “(i) Illegal Employment of Foreign Nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations), and (ii) Disobedience of Directive Given (in breach of section 52 of the Immigration Act.)”.

“We are deeply concerned that the immigration offences laid and filed against the Accused Persons do not match the severity of the act of employing or being employed ‘illegally at a small-scale mining site’” the group said in a statement produced in full below.

Our Ref: OG/2017/007
16th May 2017
The Attorney-General

Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department
Accra

Dear Madam,

PETITION TO THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OVER CHARGES LAID AND FILED IN THE CASE OF REPUBLIC V. EN HUANG & 4 OTHERS (CASE NO. CR 344/2017)

OccupyGhana® has seen a copy of what purports to be the Charge Sheet in the case of Republic v. En Huang & 4 Others (Case No. CR 344/2017) and dated 8th May 2017, and a copy is attached for ease of reference.

We note that under the Statements of Offence, the accused persons are charged with the offences of (i) Illegal Employment of Foreign Nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations), and (ii) Disobedience of Directive Given (in breach of section 52 of the Immigration Act.)

However, under the Particulars of Offence, we are told that the First Accused Person had employed the other Accused Persons “to work illegally at a small-scale mining site,” and that all the accused persons, being holders of visitors’ visas had also disobeyed the condition that required them “not to engage in any employment in Ghana.”

We are deeply concerned that the immigration offences laid and filed against the Accused Persons do not match the severity of the act of employing or being employed “illegally at a small-scale mining site.” It is true that a person commits an offence if he/she “disobeys or disregards an obligation imposed or directive given by or under [the Immigration] Act.” But the punishment for this offence is a maximum fine of Twelve Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢12,000) and/or a maximum prison term of two (2) years, under section 52 of the Immigration Act. And, unless the law has been changed, regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations provides that an individual who employs a foreigner in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act attracts a penalty of only Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500) payable to the Immigration Service. It is only upon failure to pay that measly penalty that the person may be taken to court, not for employing a foreigner illegally, but for failure to pay the measly 500 Cedi and upon conviction pay a fine of Four Thousand and Two Hundred Ghana (GH¢4,200) Cedis.

However, from our research, foreigners are absolutely prohibited from engaging in small-scale mining in Ghana. It is, therefore, an offence under section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act for foreigners to engage in small scale-mining, and offenders attract a fine between GH¢360,000 and GH¢3.6M, and/or a maximum jail term of 20 years. Further, the equipment used in or associated with the offence and any product derived are to be seized, and are liable to forfeiture by a court order and then allocated to “the appropriate state institution” within 60 days by the Minister responsible for mining.

That is why we are concerned that if these Accused Persons employed others or were employed “to work illegally at a small-scale mining site,” then the immigration charges that have been laid and filed are really minor as compared to what the law provides for in the Minerals and Mining Act.

We, therefore, petition your office to call for the docket on this matter, investigate the charges laid and filed, and if found necessary, for fresh, proper, weightier and more relevant charges to be filed or added.

The fight against illegal mining in Ghana is a fight to protect, not only the present, but the future of this country. It is therefore imperative that the law must be applied to all who fall foul of it, without fear or favour.

Yours in the service of God and Country,
OccupyGhana®

In a bid to increase awareness created by the activities of illegal miners, pressure group OccupyGhana has joined the fight against the menace.

Having critically studied the effects of galamsey in the areas of practice in the country (social, economic, medical, legal etc.), OccupyGhana has declared the month of April as #RedApril, encouraging all well-meaning and concerned Ghanaians, throughout the month, to create awareness and speak out against Galamsey.

In a statement released by the pressure group, they further tasked Ghanaians to ‘observe each Friday in April as a #RedFriday and wear some red apparel to reflect the sorry, new colour of our hitherto pristine water bodies, caused by Galamsey’.

Their action adds up to government’s planned intervention in the fight against the increasing destructive phenomenon.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Peter Amewu has consequently charged illegal miners within the country to put an end to their activities, giving them a three week ultimatum.

Below is the full statement from OccupyGhana:

OccupyGhana® has studied the Galamsey phenomenon from all possible angles (social, economic, medical, legal etc.), and has concluded that there is and can be no conceivable justification for illegal mining to persist in Ghana. OccupyGhana® therefore calls on the Government to take immediate steps to,

(i) stop, prevent and then regulate all currently unlicensed and unregulated mining,

(ii) explore the provision of gainful, alternative employment to persons engaged in Galamsey,

(iii) support mass education on the Galamsey menace, particularly through local civil society, and

(iv) be mindful of the potential national security threat that Galamsey poses.

In October 2016, OccupyGhana® sent a team to the Tarkwa area to study and report on Galamsey activities. The OG Team’s report paints a dire picture of the dangerous mix of a vibrant ‘Galamsey Economy’ that exists unrestrained and unchecked and in blatant disregard of the law, a huge industry organised through collusive effort between chiefs, other influential people in society such as politicians, law enforcement officers, farmers and the unemployed (now financed and equipped by Chinese operators and their Ghanaian front-men or competitors), the ruthless excavation of riverbeds and farms in the search for gold, the ruin of large rivers and streams, lakes and other water bodies (possibly permanently), the creation of gaping holes and concealed residue of mining activity left behind as death-traps, chemical residue that poison the earth and water, and the severe health challenges caused by Galamsey to its actors and others. Ghana is thus, not only being cursed with a future of thirst but also, exposure to cancerous diseases caused by the consumption of food grown on toxic land.

Before our very eyes, we are seeing a time-bomb that is waiting to explode – the desertification, deforestation and degradation of our land, erosion, pollution of rivers and other water bodies, and poor waste management. This cannot be allowed to continue for even a day more.

As we conclude our Report for submission to the relevant authorities, we hereby declare the entire month of April as #RedApril. We encourage all well-meaning and concerned Ghanaians, throughout the month, to create awareness and speak out against Galamsey. Let us then observe each Friday in April as a #RedFriday and wear some red apparel to reflect the sorry, new colour of our hitherto pristine water bodies, caused by Galamsey and as an optical and visual reminder to the Government that “our eyes are red” in our demand for immediate steps to reverse this trend.

#RedApril #RedFriday #StopGalamsey #GalawayGalamsey

Source: Ghanaweb

According to a statement by the group, George Andah who is now the Parliamentary Candidate for the Awutu Senya West Constituency for the New Patriotic Party and Yofi Grant, have officially resigned from the Executive Council of Occupy Ghana.

The statement said the group officially announced the resignation of the two, adding that the two remain members of the Group despite their decision to step down from the Executive Council

Below is the full statement:

RESIGNATION OF NENYI GEORGE ANDAH AND YOFI GRANT FROM OCCUPYGHANA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

OccupyGhana wishes to formally announce the resignation of Nenyi George Andah and Yofi Grant from its Executive Board.

Nenyi and Yofi however remain members of OccupyGhana and will carry to their respective positions, the core values and ideologies of OCCUPYGHANA, promoting good governance and abhorring corruption.

We thank them for their past and continued dedication to the OCCUPYGHANA cause and wish them very well in their new endeavours.

Yours in service for God and Country

OCCUPYGHANA