Private legal practitioner has written to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice requesting an update on investigations into alleged illegal mining activities that were referred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

In a letter dated December 17, 2025, Mr Botchway stated that his request was motivated by strong public interest and the far-reaching national consequences of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

He described the petition as a respectful call for clarity on the progress of the investigations.

The request follows a directive issued by the Attorney-General on July 15, 2025, which instructed EOCO to commence investigations into suspected illegal mining activities in several parts of the country.

According to Mr Botchway, the directive specifically ordered EOCO to invite named individuals, including Yakubu Abanga and Joseph Yamin, for interrogation, alongside issues arising from the Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng report.

Referencing EOCO’s statutory mandate under the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804), the lawyer said the investigations form part of the government’s broader commitment to combating illegal mining.

He requested information on “the current progress of the investigations, any interim findings EOCO has submitted to your Office, and the expected timelines for the completion of the investigations.”

Mr. Botchway further quoted from the Attorney-General’s original directive, which stated that the investigations were “borne out of growing public concern, corroborated by media reports and intelligence, regarding the involvement of some citizens in unauthorised mining operations… in blatant contravention of the Minerals and Mining Act.”

He stressed that galamsey activities “gravely endanger our water bodies, forest reserves, and local livelihoods,” adding that his request was made “in good faith and in the interest of transparency, public accountability, and strengthening public confidence” in the national fight against illegal mining.