The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, is suggesting to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, not to downplay the ‘galamsey’ report authored by former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng who is a former Chairman of the now defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, in his report, accused some stalwart of the Akufo-Addo government of interfering in his galamsey [illegal small-scale mining] fight or being engaged in galamsey.
The Presidency in its response said claims in the report are a catalogue of grievances of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng and could best be described as hearsay.
The Presidency also tagged the document as not being an official report before Cabinet as it was submitted in an informal way.
There have been series of counter-responses from both Prof. Frimpong-Boateng and persons indicted in the report.
Sharing his view on the development on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Dr. Ashigbey called on the presidency to weigh the merits of the claims and look into it no matter how it was presented.
The convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining said the report is a test on the Presidency to prove its willingness in the fight against galamsey.
“My worry is more of the presidency’s statement about the fact that it was not an official report from the former Cabinet Minister and Chairperson of Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining [Professor Frimpong-Boateng]. The people [indicted in the report] have denied the allegations. That is the right of those people. The illegal mining scare is a major thing. We cannot wish this report away. Even a report from a whistle-blower should be enough for you to be able to deal with it”.
He added, “For the presidency, whether this is a formal report or not, this is a former Cabinet member making a report, and I think that in whatever form, it is important that it is taken as seriously as it ought. And the state with all the powers must investigate it. Take this thing seriously and look into it in such a way that those found culpable are punished”.
Independent body must probe bombshell report
Dr. Ashigbey is pushing for an independent body to probe the report so that its findings can be taken to court for further prosecution.
“The most important thing is we get an independent body to probe this. This time round we make sure that its findings can be taken to court and people found guilty are prosecuted for the wrongs done,” he opined.
He also charged the President to find a lasting solution to the galamsey menace.
“The committee [IMCIM] was given the power by the president to execute what it did. The tone of the presidency I think needs to be checked. This is a crisis that is taking us down as a country. When you are in a crisis, and you get a report, you ask yourself how do I deal with it? The executive should be getting a proper committee and should be independent of the current government, so that it gets to the bottom of it. This is a test on the President who has stated his resolve to fight galamsey,” he maintained.
