The Amansie Central District Assembly has refuted allegations that it created a system to benefit from illegal mining activities, insisting that revenue collection from operators of earth-moving equipment has been a longstanding practice spanning multiple administrations.

In a statement issued on February 9, 2026, the Assembly's Public Relations Officer described recent media reports linking the district to a "galamsey tax" as misleading and a misrepresentation of an old administrative practice "to suit a convenient political narrative."

The response comes on the heels of a JoyNews Hotline Documentary exposé that uncovered what it described as a "pay-to-destroy syndicate" operating in the district, where miners reportedly pay GH₵6,000 annually to operate banned changfang machines with the tacit approval of local authorities.

The Assembly maintained that the collection of revenue from operators using earth-moving equipment "did not originate under the current administration" and has existed for many years across several political administrations.

"Records available at the Assembly, including official receipts from 2023 and 2024, clearly show that similar revenues were collected in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and in subsequent years. The current administration did not introduce this system. It inherited an already existing administrative arrangement," the statement read.

According to the Assembly, revenue collection is based on a bylaw passed as far back as 2008. It has been in effect ever since, grounded in the local governance framework that empowers Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to make and enforce bylaws.

'Red' is a recognised revenue officer, not a new figure

The statement also addressed the individual featured prominently in the documentary recordings, popularly referred to as "Red," clarifying that he is not a new figure but a recognised revenue officer who has served the Assembly under successive administrations.

"His role has consistently been to collect revenue on behalf of the Assembly in line with laid-down procedures. This same responsibility was performed under previous governments without controversy," the Assembly stated.

The Assembly insisted that all monies collected are paid directly into its official account at Odotobri Rural Bank, supported by verifiable deposit slips and official receipts available for verification.

It noted that while footage was taken of revenue collection, "the portion showing the actual banking of the funds was not shown."

Since assuming office, the Assembly said it has ensured revenues are used to address critical operational needs, including repairing official vehicles that were previously grounded and unserviceable, and equipping the Assembly with basic logistics such as a pickup vehicle.

"These are practical interventions that benefit the district and do not amount to personal gain," the statement emphasised.

The Assembly remained "firmly opposed to illegal mining" and described the fight against galamsey as "unchanged and uncompromising."

The statement challenged claims about the legality of certain mining sites, arguing that issues of legality are determined by appropriate regulatory institutions, not by assumptions or selective recordings.

"Responsible journalism requires thorough investigation, balance, and fairness," the Assembly said, warning that the matter should not be turned into "partisan propaganda or used to damage reputations."

"What the public is witnessing is not the exposure of a new wrongdoing, but the re-presentation of an old administrative practice to suit a convenient political narrative," it added.

The Assembly concluded by stating: "Ghanaians deserve the full truth, not fragments of it."

The statement did not directly address the specific allegations regarding Changfang machines or the GH₵6,000 annual levy mentioned in the documentary.