Amansie Central Assembly Denies Taxing Illegal Miners for Using Changfan

The Amansie Central Assembly has denied taxing illegal miners operating within the municipality.

In a statement, it clarified that the collection of revenue from operators of earth-moving equipment is in accordance with a local governance framework.

It indicated that the inherited revenue collection can be traced to 2008 during the administration of President John Agyekum Kufour.

“The current administration did not introduce this system. It inherited an already existing administrative arrangement. For clarity, this revenue collection is not an informal or arbitrary practice. It is based on an Assembly by law that was duly passed as far back as 2008 and has been operational ever since.”

It affirmed that the collection termed as “Galamsey Tax” in a JoyNews documentary is an existing, legally grounded Assembly by-law that has worked over the years.

Collector
The statement further clarified that the individual seen in the recordings, popularly referred to as Red, is 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,” it noted.

Revenue
The Assembly also denied claims that the funds are privately kept or diverted as false and misleading.

It stated that all monies collected are paid directly into the Assembly’s official account at Odotobri Rural Bank.

This, it said, can be backed with verifiable deposit slips and official receipts, all of which are available for verification at the Assembly.

“While footage was taken of revenue collection, the portion showing the actual banking of the funds was not shown.”

It furthered that the accrued revenues are used to address critical operational needs, including repairing dysfunctional official vehicles and purchasing a pickup vehicle.

Opposition to Galamsey
Additionally, it reaffirmed the Assembly’s opposition to illegal mining.

“The fight against galamsey remains unchanged and uncompromising. It is therefore misleading to suggest that any official of the Assembly created or operates a system to benefit from illegal mining, especially when the arrangement in question predates the current administration and has been administered transparently over the years.”

By-law Review
It called on any individual who feels the by-law is out of place to trigger the needed process for its amendment.

“If any individual or institution has concerns about this by law, the appropriate step is to formally write to the relevant local government authorities for a review. Until such a review or amendment is lawfully made, the Assembly is duty-bound to implement the existing by-law.”

The documentary by JoyNews alleges that miners pay GH₵6,000 annually to operate banned changfang machines with the tacit approval of local authorities.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/