Godfred Yeboah Dame, Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, has called on Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to instruct judges handling illegal mining, commonly known as ‘galamsey’, cases to deliver their rulings within a month of the cases being presented in court.
The Attorney-General believes that such a directive would help curb the ongoing destruction of water bodies and forest reserves caused by the activities of unregulated miners and unauthorized companies operating in protected areas.
Speaking at the Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana, held at the La Beach Hotel on Wednesday, October 2, Dame expressed concern over the slow pace of prosecuting galamsey cases.
He stressed that the delays are exacerbating the environmental damage to Ghana’s forests and water resources.
“One category of cases whose speed of resolution by our courts, I often lament is the trial of illegal mining cases. It is beyond argument that the form of illegal mining known as “galamsey” continues to wreak incalculable damage to our forest reserves and river bodies. A major setback to the struggle against galamsey is the rate of adjudication and punishment of offenders.
“Your ladyship, I therefore respectfully call on you to direct all judges sitting on galamsey cases to conclude the cases, the hearing of which has started, within one month from the commencement of the legal year on 10th October 2024.”
Mr. Dame also urged politicians to desist from encouraging galamsey activities through their rhetoric and actions.
“Politicians must also desist from encouraging galamsey through their rhetoric and actions. Those who preach amnesty for galamsey offenders must be rejected. There should be no place for the grant of amnesty for such crimes in our body politic as the lives of citizens and the future of our nation are at risk.”
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