Former Administrator of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana, Andrews Bediako, has called for a broader approach to accountability following revelations in the JoyNews Hotline investigative documentary, “A Tax for Galamsey: The extortion racket fuelling illegal mining.”

Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews on Monday, February 9, Mr Bediako said the conversation around responsibility for the alleged extortion exposed in the documentary should not focus only on District and Municipal Chief Executives (DCEs and MCEs), but must also include key technocrats within the assemblies.

A Tax for Galamsey is a Hotline investigative documentary that exposes how illegal mining in Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region is no longer merely tolerated - but systematically taxed, receipted and protected by government appointees.

Through undercover reporting, secret recordings, documentary evidence, and on-the-ground infiltration, the investigation reveals an alleged extortion network involving the District Assembly, a task force operating under the authority of the District Chief Executive.

Mr Bediako explained that the Local Governance Act, Act 936, clearly outlines the approved sources of revenue for district assemblies and the offices responsible for revenue mobilisation.

“I need to state on authority that Act 936 prescribes the sources of revenue to district assemblies. The department responsible for revenue mobilisation is the finance office,” he said.

He said that when such issues arise, public attention is usually directed at politicians, particularly DCEs and MCEs, who are often the first to be blamed.

“Whenever issues like these happen, we normally look at the politician because he is the first point of call. People are calling on the politician to be sacked or fired. I’m not defending the MCE or the DCE, but it is appropriate that we state the facts as they are,” Mr Bediako said.

According to him, revenue collection at the assembly level is largely handled by technocrats, not politicians. “Who normally takes some of this money from the people? The revenue office, which is under the finance officer,” he said.

Mr Bediako said that district chief executives do not work alone and should not be treated as the only actors in such cases.

“The politicians don’t work at the assembly alone. They work with other people. The finance officer is there. The coordinating director is there.”

He said that accountability must be extended to these officials, especially when illegal fees are being charged.

"If we are punishing the DCE, I am not defending the DCE, but if you are punishing the DCE, the people who are also supposed to advise the DCE as to the money that they are supposed to collect, and they didn't do the right thing, we should expand the conversation to cover all of them."

“If we are looking at the DCE being fired, what about the finance officer? What about the coordinating director?” he asked. “They are normally responsible for these fees that the assembly takes from the people.”

Mr Bediako acknowledged that collecting licences and fees is not, on its own, illegal under local government laws, but said the key issue is whether such charges are lawful and appropriate.

“The issue is whether the particular money being taken is lawful. That is where the problem is.”

He said that anyone who goes against the law must face sanctions, including DCEs.

“If the DCE has gone contrary to the rules and regulations of Ghana or the Local Governance Act, that person must be punished. The laws are there, and if you go contrary to them, you need to be sanctioned,” he said.

However, he insisted that investigations and sanctions should not stop with politicians alone.

“We shouldn’t end with the politician alone. We should expand it to cover other people who are also supposed to advise the DCE,” Mr Bediako said.

Responding to a question on how influential technocrats are within district assemblies, Mr Bediako said coordinating directors, in particular, play a critical advisory role.

“The coordinating director is the chief adviser to the DCE or the MCE. The technocrats are always at the assembly. They are supposed to know better than the politician, and that is why they advise,” he explained.

He clarified that technocrats would not advise a DCE to engage in illegal mining. “They will not advise the DCE to engage in illegal mining. It would not be fair to put that on them.”

However, he added that their influence lies in guiding decisions related to administration and revenue.

“If there is evidence that the coordinating director or finance officer advised that we should not take these monies from illegal miners, and the DCE went ahead to do it, then the DCE has clearly gone contrary to the rules,” he said.

"Some decisions are political, but when it comes to these issues, 'this money we are not supposed to take', they will advise you as a DCE. And if they advise you and you don't take it, then the DCE can be punished according to the advice that they gave you, and he didn't take."

"But as it stands now, we don't have any evidence that these technocrats advise the DCE that we are not supposed to take these monies, but he went ahead to take them," he added.