Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson
Parliament was rocked yesterday when the Minority Caucus staged a dramatic walkout moment before the presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review by the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
The boycott, led by the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, and supported by the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, was a symbolic act of protest against what they described as the government’s failure to uphold democratic principles and environmental stewardship.
The Minority followed the walkout with the submission of a formal petition to President John Dramani Mahama, copied to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), and other international stakeholders.
The petition cited two critical concerns: the eruption of electoral violence during the Ablekuma North by-election and the escalating menace of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Ablekuma Violence
In the petition, the Minority described the events at the July 11 Ablekuma North rerun election as a “premeditated and organised campaign to subvert the democratic process,” noting that what should have been a peaceful exercise to restore representation to the constituents was instead marred by “widespread violence, intimidation, impersonation of security forces, and brutal assaults.”
The petition, accompanied by video evidence, chronicled incidents at multiple polling stations, including the assault of high-profile figures such as former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hawa Koomson, New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, and former MP for Okaikwei South, Dakoa Newman.
The Minority said the thugs dressed in security-like uniforms attacked party officials, journalists, and electoral officers at polling stations, including the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church, Awoshie DVLA, and Asiedu Gyedu Memorial School.
Even more alarming, the petition alleges that “journalists from JoyNews and GHOne TV were physically assaulted,” including one reportedly attacked by a uniformed police officer, in what the Minority characterised as a gross violation of press freedom and the public’s right to information.
The Minority accused the Ghana Police Service of complicity in the violence, specifically naming Chief Superintendent Fredrick Lumor Senanu for investigation.
“The silence or implicit endorsement of such violence by government-aligned officials and institutions represents a disturbing departure from Ghana’s longstanding democratic norms,” the petition stated.
Furthermore, the Caucus condemned what it termed “public glorification of violence” by two senior officials – Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, CEO of the Minerals Development Fund, and Malik Basintale, Acting CEO of the Youth Employment Agency.
Their conduct, the petition argued, contravenes multiple provisions of the 1992 Constitution, including Articles 41, 284, and 296, as well as the Criminal Offences Act.
The petition demands their immediate dismissal, prosecution of all perpetrators, and the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry under Article 278 to investigate the incidents and recommend systemic reforms. “Ghana’s democratic progress… cannot be undermined by a culture of impunity and orchestrated violence,” it warned.
Galamsey
Beyond the political violence, the Minority also raised the red flag over the deepening environmental crisis due to illegal mining. Describing galamsey as “a full-blown ecological emergency, a moral crisis, and an indictment on our collective conscience,” the petition cited evidence from A Rocha Ghana and Global Forest Watch, which revealed a 17% increase in river turbidity and 9% forest cover loss in just six months.
“Since January 2025, the destruction wrought by illegal mining has intensified at an alarming rate, including in your own hometown of Bole Bamboi,” the petition addressed to President Mahama stated, adding, “The Yonkamba stream, a lifeline for your people, now flows with poison rather than promise.”
The Minority pointed to documented complicity by District Chief Executives, political operatives, and members of the security services who, rather than combat the problem, have allegedly shielded the perpetrators.
“Rather than dismantling illegal mining operations, some of these actors have become their shield and enablers,” the petition lamented.
Among their demands on the galamsey front, the Caucus called for the declaration of a state of emergency in all illegal mining zones, the repeal of Legislative Instrument 2462, and the creation of a multi-stakeholder environmental commission.
They also urged the government to launch a bold National Environmental Recovery Programme focused on afforestation, river restoration, and public education on environmental stewardship.
The petition warned that the twin crises of political violence and environmental degradation, if unaddressed, could erode public trust in democratic governance, harm Ghana’s international reputation, and undermine sustainable development.
“We are not only violating international treaties; we are undermining our global reputation,” the Caucus stated, referencing Ghana’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the African Charter on Democracy and Human Rights.
The Minority also called on President Mahama to publicly denounce the violence, apologise to victims, and reaffirm his government’s commitment to peace and constitutional order.
“Your silence or inaction risks being interpreted as tacit endorsement,” the petition warned, adding, “May history remember this moment, not for your silence, but for your courage to act.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House