Prof. Frimpong-Boateng's Report Is Sealed By The Legal Counsel To The Illegal Mining Committee

A former legal adviser for Operation Vanguard has disclosed that there were no laws governing the 2017 commencement of the operation.

Ex-Captain Jamal Tonzua Seidu stated that the joint military and police task force established by President Nana Akufo-Addo to combat illicit mining in various regions of the country lacked a legal mandate for at least a year prior to his deployment to Obuasi.

This, he argues, contributed to the failure of the operation to clear the country of galamsey, or illegal mining.

We made many mistakes. – Professor Frimpong-Boateng's report is discussed by the committee's legal counsel.

Ex-Captain Jamal Tonzua Seidu
"When I reported to my post, I asked a few superiors, 'What is the law regarding Operation Vanguard?'" and there was a great deal of confusion. Nobody knew what the law was regarding Operation Vanguard. I inquired once more, 'What is our mandate in all of this?' At most, I was allowed to view the operational order, which stated, "The Chief of Staff has tasked the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service with a joint operation to combat illegal mining."

"Because there is no law, Operation Vanguard did not know their jurisdiction, who they could detain, or what to do after making an arrest. Because it's a matter of such grave consequence, you'd want to have a clear understanding of who does what. Also, how? Until when? "Just as the military required a mandate, so do the police," he explained.

Ex-Captain Seidu made these revelations on Tuesday's Super Morning Show on Joy FM. He was discussing the topic "Galamsey Fight and Professor Frimpong-Boateng Report."

The attorney also disclosed that only one judge presided over all convictions handed down by the Operation Vanguard task force.

Mr. Seidu stated that the shortage of adjudicators caused a significant backlog in illicit mining cases.

"There was no legal office associated with the operation, so I had to create one and iron out the details myself. So I reviewed the laws and summoned crime officers from the task forces. I inquired about their reports and was informed that, in accordance with the mining laws, they had apprehended over 3,000 illicit miners and seized mining equipment.

"However, the number of convictions was less than 100. "At the time, there was only one judge presiding over the cases, so there was a backlog, interferences, and so many restrictions," he noted.

Due to these flaws in Operation Vanguard, the private attorney believed that the operation was intentionally designed to fail.

Prof. Frimpong Boateng, the former Environment Minister and chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) established by President Akufo-Addo, disclosed an explosive report to the public last week.

Prof. Boateng names senior government officials in his 2021 report to the President who are accused of active involvement in illicit mining, known locally as "galamsey."

According to him, the 'galamsey' threat extends as high as Jubilee House, the seat of government.

However, government officials named in the report have refuted the allegations by casting doubt on the veracity of Prof. Frimpong Boateng's report.