Wendell Nana Yaw Yeboah, Head of Mobilisation at Democracy Hub, alleged during an interview on 18th November 2025 on Aluta FM that three Regional Ministers were involved in illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey. The officials he named, Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Awatey, Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene, and Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, have since petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department, claiming his remarks were defamatory and harmful to their reputations.

Arrest and Bail Process
Mr. Yeboah was arrested on 26 November. Democracy Hub sought to bail him out but reported facing irregularities and interference from police authorities. On 27 November, Circuit Court 11 granted bail set at GHC60,000 with two sureties; one a government worker earning at least GHC3,000 per month, and the other a person of good standing. Democracy Hub said it secured the sureties and completed the necessary documentation.

However, on 2 December, the process stalled. A judge declined to sign the bail papers, citing illness, despite presiding over other cases earlier that day. The group further alleged that police officials disqualified the sureties, despite their prior verification.

In a press release, Democracy Hub stated that Mr. Yeboah was eventually released on 3 December, but only after two unidentified police officers signed off on the bail.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has initiated legal action against Mr. Yeboah of Democracy Hub, accusing him of making defamatory statements during a live radio interview that later spread widely on social media.

Separate lawsuits have also been filed against Aluta FM and its presenter, Agyaba Owusu, popularly known as Agyaba Kwaku, who hosted the November 18, 2025, edition of the Anopa Koko Morning Show where the remarks were made.

According to the court filings, Mr. Yeboah alleged in both Twi and English that Dr Amoakohene was involved in illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, saying on air:

“Alright, mene wo kasa sesei, the Ashanti Regional Minister is into Galamsey,” and “Alright, as I speak with you right now, the Ashanti Regional Minister is into Galamsey.”

Legal Ramifications
Reports indicate that the ministers’ petition accuses Mr. Yeboah of criminal defamation and publication of false news. Both charges carry serious penalties under Ghanaian law.

Human rights groups have long criticised these statutes as overly broad, warning that they are often used to stifle press freedom. Critics argue that Mr. Yeboah’s detention sends a troubling signal to journalists and civil society organisations. The government maintains that no one is above the law and that ministers have the right to defend their reputations. But the speed and severity of the response have raised concerns among observers about the balance between state authority and civic activism.

The Galamsey Controversy
Illegal mining has become an existential threat to Ghana’s environment and public health. Major rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Tano have been contaminated, while the use of mercury and cyanide has left large tracts of land infertile.

Successive governments have launched initiatives to combat the menace, including military-led operations like Operation Halt. Yet observers note that illegal mining often resumes once task forces withdraw, pointing to entrenched political patronage and corruption shielding financiers of the operations.

Here are some reactions from social media.

By Ebenezer De-Gaulle