Court documents have revealed startling allegations against Ernest Ntim Owusu, the District Chief Executive for Atiwa East in Ghana’s Eastern Region, accusing him of leading destructive illegal mining operations locally known as “galamsey.”
Filed at the Koforidua High Court (Suit No. EAS/KF/HC/E1/151/2025), the lawsuit paints a damning picture of environmental degradation and alleged impunity by the government official.
According to the writ of summons, Owusu and his team allegedly invaded private land without authorization, stripping topsoil, excavating deep pits, and destroying crops. The suit claims the operations have left the landscape pockmarked with dangerous, uncovered mining pits while polluting the Koben River, a critical water source for surrounding communities including Ankaase Gyedam and Asaman Tamfoe.
The court papers detail particularly egregious environmental violations. The defendants allegedly installed water pumps directly in the riverbed, using hoses to draw water which they then contaminated with chemicals for ore processing. Wastewater reportedly flows back into the river through an excavated drainage channel, creating what plaintiffs describe as “alarmingly life-threatening” pollution.
When initially confronted, Owusu allegedly admitted wrongdoing and promised to withdraw equipment but failed to follow through. The lawsuit claims the DCE and his workers boast that “not even the Courts” can stop their operations, a statement that could prove legally consequential as the case progresses.
The case comes amid Ghana’s protracted battle against illegal mining, which has destroyed forests and poisoned water bodies nationwide. That a sitting DCE stands accused of personally overseeing such operations raises troubling questions about official complicity in environmental crimes.
Legal observers will closely watch Monday’s hearing on the injunction application. Should the court rule against the DCE, it could set an important precedent for holding public officials accountable for environmental violations. The case also tests Ghana’s judicial system at a time when illegal mining persists despite repeated government crackdowns and promises of reform.
Environmental activists note the particular irony of these allegations surfacing in Atiwa home to Ghana’s globally significant Atewa Forest biodiversity hotspot. The case underscores how illegal mining continues threatening ecologically sensitive areas, often with alleged involvement of local power brokers. As the legal process unfolds, this case may reveal much about the real obstacles to combating Ghana’s galamsey epidemic.
