Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga assures MPs will not shield offenders as Parliament backs crackdown on galamsey

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has given a firm assurance that Members of Parliament will not stand in the way of law enforcement agencies working to curb illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, he responded to a formal communique on the alleged attack on anti-galamsey operatives in Asutifi South and underscored the House’s commitment to accountability.

Mr Ayariga stressed that MPs were ready to be held responsible for their actions and inactions, adding that no legislator would seek cover from the Speaker in matters requiring legal scrutiny. “We are not above the law,” he declared. “Parliamentarians must be subject to the same standards of accountability as any other citizen.

We will not interfere with investigations or shield anyone from facing justice.”

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His remarks come amid heightened public concern over political involvement in galamsey, which continues to cause severe environmental and social destruction across the country.

The Asutifi South attack targeted the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) enforcement team and has reignited calls for stronger political will and institutional backing to combat the menace.

Mr Ayariga’s comments signal a shift toward greater transparency and cooperation between Parliament and security agencies. They also highlight the legislature’s recognition of the urgency of addressing galamsey-linked violence and environmental degradation.

Illegal mining has long plagued Ghana’s forest reserves and river basins, with resistance, sometimes violent, regularly confronting state-led enforcement efforts. The latest confrontation in Asutifi South adds to a growing list of incidents exposing the risks faced by anti-galamsey task forces.

Civil society groups have renewed calls for bipartisan collaboration to ensure that all perpetrators, regardless of political ties, are brought to justice. Mr Ayariga’s assurance may pave the way for a more unified national approach to tackling illegal mining, with Parliament taking a more proactive role in supporting enforcement and legislative reforms.