By Daniel Bampoe
A simmering tension between two of Ghana’s influential public figures — Stan Dogbe, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining — erupted into a full-blown social media confrontation on Sunday, highlighting how the fight against galamsey continues to divide national opinion even among those who claim to share the same goal.
The clash began when Dr. Ashigbey, who recently assumed office as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, took to Facebook to call out illegal mining activities openly taking place around the Simpa township on the Tarkwa–Takoradi road in the Western Region.
In his post, he lamented that despite the government’s stated commitment to fighting galamsey, the operations continued in plain sight, polluting water bodies.
“Your Excellency John Dramani Mahama, please, this MCE cannot be representing your interests. I can see it from the road today, Sunday, 5th October 2025. They are working and polluting the waters,” Dr. Ashigbey wrote, tagging the President to draw attention to what he described as official negligence.
His post, however, did not sit well with Stan Dogbe, a key figure in the Mahama administration, who accused Ken Ashigbey of engaging in politically motivated criticism rather than constructive advocacy.
In a sharp rebuttal, Stan Dogbe wrote, “If your government, in the eight years of your ‘coloured’ fight, had demonstrated the political will and clear strategies deployed in the last nine months, I guess we would not be here. Instead of gaining on negativity as a form of advocacy, you and your team should keep up the fight but stop hiding behind political bias to gain a voice.”
Stan Dogbe’s comments triggered a swift and fiery response from Ashigbey, who expressed disappointment and described the Deputy Chief of Staff’s remarks as partisan and unfounded.
“My government? Really? Some in the NPP said the same. Thankfully, Ghanaians can judge my actions for themselves. My focus has never been on those who see every national issue through partisan lenses,” he replied.
Ashigbey who was Stan Dogbe’s boss at Multimedia when he was Chief Operating Officer insisted his advocacy had been consistent since 2017, when the Media Coalition Against Galamsey was formed to pressure the then-NPP administration to take decisive action against illegal mining.
He reminded Stan Dogbe that his work had always focused on national interest rather than party politics, adding that his team had presented actionable proposals to both the current government and its predecessors.
He also revealed that during a recent meeting with President Mahama and other civil society organizations at the Jubilee House on October 3, his coalition presented a detailed position paper outlining practical measures to combat illegal mining sustainably.
“We’ve shared a comprehensive paper with H.E. John Dramani Mahama, detailing actionable solutions. This is a matter of public record,” he noted.
Taking a more personal tone, Ashigbey called on Dogbe to refrain from spreading falsehoods and prayed for divine forgiveness for what he called misrepresentation of his motives.
“I hold no political bias — and you know that. I pray that God forgives you for the falsehoods you spread about me. The truth, and the internet, will not forget,” he stated.
His remarks drew widespread support from social media users who criticized Stan Dogbe’s comments as unnecessary and divisive, especially at a time when national consensus is needed to address the galamsey menace.
Ashigbey, an engineer by training from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, has been a prominent figure in Ghana’s media and mining sectors.
Before joining the Chamber of Mines, he served as the Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group and later as CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications.
His Media Coalition Against Galamsey, formed in 2017, was instrumental in pushing the Akufo-Addo government to declare “war” on illegal mining.
