… EOCO Launches Probe
The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has unleashed its hounds, setting its sights on two high-ranking figures within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) amidst explosive allegations of illegal mining and taskforce thuggery.
This bombshell probe targets none other than NDC Vice Chairman Yakubu Abanga and the party’s National Organizer, Joseph Yamin.
The dragnet was cast following a direct order from no less than the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine. In a blistering letter dated July 15, 2025, Dr. Ayine pulled no punches, demanding EOCO “initiate investigations into suspected illegal mining activities being perpetrated by certain individuals within mining districts in the country.”
Ayine’s directive comes as a thunderclap, fueled by “growing public concern, corroborated by media reports and intelligence,” all pointing fingers at “unauthorized mining operations (generally called galamsey)” that are ripping through Ghana’s environmental fabric.
He didn’t mince words, declaring these activities not only defy the law but also “gravely endanger our water bodies, forest reserves, and local livelihoods.”
The Attorney-General underscored President Akufo-Addo’s “firm commitment to eradicating illegal mining,” urging EOCO to haul in Abanga and Yamin for interrogation.
He also broadened the scope, demanding investigations into “any other persons found to be complicit” and a deep dive into the infamous Prof. Frimpong-Boateng report on illegal mining. Even the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission could find himself on the hot seat, called in to “assist in the investigations.”
THE SMOKING GUN: ROGUE TASKFORCE ACCUSATIONS
This high-stakes probe ignited after a chorus of small-scale miners accused Yamin and Abanga of allegedly bankrolling a rogue anti-galamsey taskforce. These miners claim the shadowy group has been unleashed, not to fight illegal mining, but to harass and intimidate legitimate miners for their own illicit gain.
NDC HEAVYWEIGHTS FIGHT BACK: “BASELESS LIES”
But the NDC bigwigs are not going down without a fight! Both Yakubu Abanga and Joseph Yamin have vehemently denied any involvement in illegal mining or the alleged rogue taskforce.
Joseph Yamin took to Facebook, spitting fire: “My attention has been drawn to a press release from the Concerned Small-Scale Miners in which they claim that I and the National Vice Chairman Abanga are behind what they claim is an illegal taskforce visiting their sites. I want to put on record that I have no hand in the said allegations being leveled at me.”
Abanga Yakubu Alhassan echoed Yamin’s outrage, lambasting the claims from the self-styled Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana (CSSMAG) as “baseless, malicious, and entirely without merit.”
“Let me place it on record, without ambiguity; I have absolutely no hand in, and I know nothing about these allegations,” Abanga declared, throwing down the gauntlet: “I challenge anyone who claims otherwise to be bold and point to me directly. If I have ever extorted money from any miner or seized any equipment, let them mention my name publicly.”
Abanga, a licensed small-scale miner himself, vowed to protect his name, asserting, “This is not just about politics, it is about protecting reputations built over years of service and sacrifice. I will not sit back and allow anyone to jeopardize my name with falsehoods.”
He further clarified that neither he nor Yamin has ever authorized any group to conduct enforcement operations, labeling any such claims as impersonation that demands investigation.
In a stunning revelation, Abanga exposed what he called “factual inconsistencies” in CSSMAG’s statement, pointing out that a Mobile Money number purportedly linked to an “Andrew Abban” is, in fact, registered to a Roland Agudogo. He branded this as evidence of “deliberate impersonation and deceit,” designed to “tarnish my hard-earned reputation.”
“These fake, sponsored articles and propaganda should be disregarded by the good people of Ghana,” Abanga concluded, assuring the public that no amount of “disinformation” will derail the NDC’s “Resetting Agenda” for a better Ghana.
The New Republic is keeping a keen eye on this unfolding drama as EOCO delves deeper into these explosive allegations. Will the truth set these NDC gurus free, or will the galamsey allegations sink their political careers? Only time will tell.