The Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament has expressed outrage over revelations that the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Birim Central, Solomon Kusi Brako, allegedly fined and released illegal miners operating in the Akyem Oda area.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament House on Wednesday October 29, 2025, Second Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Weija Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, said the MCE’s actions amount to a blatant abuse of authority and a violation of both the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) and the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
According to the Minority, the MCE admitted that the Municipal Finance Officer collected money from the miners as “legal fines” and even displayed receipts to justify the transactions.
However, the caucus questioned the authenticity of the receipts, noting inconsistencies in their issuance and records.
“The power to impose or collect fines lies solely with the courts, not the MCE,” Mr. Shaib emphasized, adding that the incident undermines President Mahama’s avowed fight against illegal mining.
The Minority also pointed out that the Birim Central Assembly’s 2025 revenue report failed to account for the alleged payments, further deepening suspicions of financial impropriety.
The caucus has therefore called for a full-scale investigation into the matter, insisting that such actions erode public trust and embolden corruption within local governance structures.
