Sack Amansie Central DCE Immediately, Adorye Urges President Mahama: Unpacking the Galamsey Tax Scandal

The fight against illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, has reached a critical juncture in Ghana. Hopeson Adorye, Director of Field Operations for the United Party, has issued a stark and direct demand to President John Dramani Mahama: dismiss the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Amansie Central with immediate effect. This call follows explosive revelations from a PleasureNews Hotline documentary, titled “A Tax for Galamsey: The Extortion Racket Fuelling Illegal Mining,” which alleges a sophisticated, state-sanctioned extortion network protecting illegal miners in the Ashanti Region. This article provides a comprehensive, SEO-optimized analysis of the scandal, its implications for Ghana’s governance, and the broader battle against resource plunder.

Key Points: The Immediate Demands

The core of Adorye’s public statement, made on PleasureNews AM Show on February 10, 2026, is a list of specific, urgent personnel actions. The primary and secondary keywords here revolve around accountability, district governance, and the illegal mining supply chain.

• Immediate Removal of the Amansie Central DCE: Adorye insists the DCE must be sacked “with immediate effect” to serve as a deterrent to other public officials engaging in corrupt practices related to galamsey.
• Broader Purge of Security and Administrative Officials: The call extends beyond the DCE to include the local head of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), the National Security coordinator, and the NADMO (National Disaster Management Organisation) boss in the district, who is accused of issuing extortionate payment demands.
• Transfer of the Police Commander: The district police commander should also be immediately transferred to restore public confidence and ensure an unbiased enforcement environment.
• Ministerial Intervention: The Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources (Armah Kofi Buah) and Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (Ahmed Ibrahim) are urged to urgently brief the President on the findings and recommend decisive action.
• Alignment with the “Reset” Agenda: Adorye frames the DCE’s continued tenure as being out of sync with the government’s purported “reset” agenda, demanding that any official not aligned with this policy modernization must be “reset”—a euphemism for removal.

Background: The Galamsey Crisis and Amansie Central

The Persistent Scourge of Illegal Mining

Ghana’s illegal mining crisis is a defining environmental and economic issue. Galamsey operations, often involving foreign nationals and backed by powerful local interests, have devastated water bodies, destroyed farmlands, and contributed to deforestation. The phenomenon is not merely a law enforcement issue but a complex web of corruption, weak regulation, and economic desperation. The Ashanti Region, rich in gold deposits, has been a epicentre of this activity, with districts like Amansie Central frequently in the spotlight.

Amansie Central: A Case Study in Alleged State Complicity

The PleasureNews investigation, using undercover reporting, secret recordings, and documentary evidence, paints a specific picture of Amansie Central. It alleges that illegal mining is not just tolerated but systematically taxed and receipted. A task force operating under the purported authority of the DCE is accused of running an extortion racket, demanding payments from illegal miners in exchange for protection and operational freedom. This transforms the district assembly from a regulatory body into, allegedly, a criminal enterprise profiting from environmental destruction.

Analysis: Why This Scandal Demands More Than a Personnel Change

While Adorye’s focus is on firing specific individuals, the scandal exposes deeper systemic fractures in Ghana’s local governance and resource management.

1. The Illusion of Decentralisation

Decentralisation aims to bring governance closer to the people. However, when a District Chief Executive—the president’s key appointee at the district level—is allegedly at the heart of a criminal protection racket, it reveals a catastrophic failure of this system. Power, unchecked by robust local oversight or a fiercely independent civil service, can be weaponised for private gain. The alleged involvement of multiple security and administrative agencies (NIB, National Security, NADMO, Police) suggests a coordinated network rather than a lone actor.

2. The “Tax” Metaphor: Institutionalising Crime

The term “galamsey tax” is profoundly significant. It implies that the state, through its agents, has formalised the extraction of illicit rents. This is not a few bribes here and there; it is a structured, receipted system. This institutionalisation makes the crime sustainable and scalable, directly contradicting presidential and ministerial statements on the “war against galamsey.” It creates a perverse incentive structure where enforcing the law becomes less profitable than ignoring it for a cut of the takings.

3. Political Will and Selective Enforcement

Adorye’s rhetoric—”the President must be seen to be working”—taps into a public perception of selective and politically motivated enforcement. If the documentary evidence is credible, inaction against the Amansie Central DCE would signal that powerful political patrons can shield operatives, undermining the entire anti-galamsey campaign. It raises the question: is the fight against illegal mining applied unevenly, targeting small-scale operators while sparing the “kingpins” within the state apparatus?

4. The “Reset” Agenda in Jeopardy

The reference to the government’s “reset” agenda is a political framing. If the administration’s claim to be resetting Ghana’s economic and governance trajectory is true, retaining an official implicated in such a scandal is a glaring contradiction. It suggests the reset may be cosmetic, failing to penetrate the entrenched patron-client networks at the district level. The demand is for the President to “reset” the DCE—to use executive power to align local practice with national policy rhetoric.

Practical Advice: What Can Be Done? Pathways to Accountability

Beyond the immediate call for dismissals, addressing the root causes requires sustained civic and institutional action. Here is practical advice for various stakeholders:

For Citizens and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs):

• Demand Transparency: Use the Right to Information (RTI) Act to request all communication, permits, and financial records from the Amansie Central District Assembly related to mining activities since the DCE’s tenure.
• Document and Report: Systematically document any instances of harassment, extortion, or environmental damage with dates, locations, and photographic/video evidence. Report not only to police but to independent bodies like the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
• Sustained Advocacy: Keep the pressure on. Write to the Ministers named (Buah and Ibrahim), the President’s office, and parliamentary committees on Mines and Energy and Local Government. Use social media with clear hashtags like #GalamseyTax and #SackAmansieDCE.
• Support Investigative Journalism: Subscribe to, donate to, and widely share reports from outlets like PleasureNews that undertake risky, in-depth investigations. This builds the evidence base for action.

For the Executive and Legislature:

• Independent Inquiry: The President must order an independent, transparent investigation—potentially by a joint parliamentary committee or a retired judge—with a strict timeline. The investigation must have the power to subpoena witnesses and documents.
• Review Appointments Vetting: The entire process for vetting and appointing DCEs and other district-level appointees must be reviewed to include stricter due diligence on financial history and past performance in anti-corruption.
• Strengthen Subordinate Bodies: Empower and resource district-level agencies like the Minerals Commission and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to operate with genuine autonomy, reporting directly to their headquarters rather than the DCE’s office.
• Whistleblower Protection: Activate and publicise robust whistleblower protection laws to encourage officials within the system to come forward without fear of reprisal.

For the Media:

• Follow the Money: Investigate the financial trails. Where did the alleged “tax” receipts go? Which banks were used? Can transaction patterns be mapped?
• Humanise the Impact: Continue to report on the human cost—farmers who lost land, communities with poisoned water—to maintain public urgency beyond the political scandal.
• Hold All Sides Accountable: Scrutinise the opposition’s demands. Are they consistent? Do they have a comprehensive plan beyond personnel changes? This elevates the discourse from partisan point-scoring to policy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is Hopeson Adorye and what is his political position?

Hopeson Adorye is a prominent Ghanaian politician and the Director of Field Operations for the United Party (UP), a major opposition party. He is a former Member of Parliament and has been a vocal critic of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) on issues of security, governance, and economic management. His statements carry weight within his party and among the opposition base.

What is “galamsey” and why is it so damaging?

Galamsey is a Ghanaian pidgin term for “gather them and sell,” referring to illegal small-scale mining. It is damaging because it is almost universally unregulated. Operators use crude methods, often involving mercury and other toxic chemicals, which poison rivers (like the Pra and Ankobrah) and soils. This destroys aquatic life, contaminates drinking water, and renders farmland infertile. It also causes deforestation and increases the risk of landslides. The economic loss to the state in terms of unpaid royalties and taxes is substantial.

What is the role of a District Chief Executive (DCE)?

The DCE is the highest political and administrative officer in a Ghanaian district. Appointed by the President (with approval from the district assembly), the DCE chairs the District Assembly and oversees the implementation of government policies at the local level. They are responsible for coordinating the activities of all central government departments in the district (including the Minerals Commission, EPA, and security services) and ensuring local development. Therefore, allegations of a DCE orchestrating a protection racket represent a profound betrayal of this core mandate.

What is the “Tax for Galamsey” investigation alleging?

The investigation by PleasureNews Hotline alleges that a task force, purportedly authorised by the Amansie Central DCE, systematically collects payments from illegal miners. These payments are framed as “taxes” or “fees” for the right to operate without interference. The investigation reportedly has evidence of receipts, meetings, and communications that show this is a structured, revenue-generating criminal enterprise involving district-level state officials, not just isolated acts of bribery.

What are the legal implications if these allegations are proven?

If proven, the allegations constitute serious criminal offences under Ghanaian law. Potential charges include:

• Corruption: Under the Anti-Corruption Act, 2000 (Act 457), receiving unauthorised payments and abuse of office.
• Conspiracy to Commit a Crime: For the coordinated network of officials.
• Illegal Mining Offences: Under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), for aiding and abetting illegal mining operations.
• Causing Environmental Damage: Under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490).

Furthermore, such findings would constitute grounds for immediate dismissal from public office under the Constitution and relevant public service regulations.

Has the government responded to these specific allegations?

As of the publication of this article (based on the source material dated February 10, 2026), there has been no official, on-the-record response from the Presidency, the Ministries of Lands and Local Government, or the Amansie Central District Assembly specifically addressing the PleasureNews documentary’s evidence. Adorye’s call is premised on the need for such a response. The government’s general stance has been to reiterate its commitment to fighting galamsey, often citing operations like “Operation Vanguard” (a military-police task force). Critics argue such operations are often ineffective against well-connected “galamsey kingpins.”

Conclusion: Beyond Sackings to Systemic Reformation

The demand to sack the Amansie Central DCE is a necessary but insufficient response to a deep malaise. The allegations, if true, depict a district where the state has been captured by criminal enterprise. Immediate personnel changes—the DCE, security heads, the police commander—are the absolute minimum to restore a semblance of lawful governance and signal that no one is above the law. However, the ultimate goal must be to dismantle the systems that allow such a “galamsey tax” to exist.

This requires a multi-pronged approach: genuine decentralisation with accountability, not just devolution of power; transparent and competitive licensing for small-scale mining; massively resourced and independent regulatory agencies at the district level; and unwavering political courage from the highest office to pursue investigations wherever they