https://www.myjoyonline.com/al-jazeeras-gold-mafia-needs-a-national-probe-minority-leader/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/al-jazeeras-gold-mafia-needs-a-national-probe-minority-leader/

The Minority in Parliament is demanding a national investigation into allegations levelled against President Akufo-Addo in the Al Jazeera’s Gold Mafia documentary. 

According to the National Democratic Congress group, the allegations made in the documentary are an affront to the country's future. 

This is according to the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson. 

Dr Ato Forson in a Facebook post on Friday, said his caucus will not allow Ghana’s environment to be traded for the benefit of a few.

He thus called for a national probe into the issues raised to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the allegations made by busted gold smuggler, Alistair Mathias. 

“The revelation that $40 million worth of gold is smuggled out of Ghana every month is deeply concerning. Al Jazeera's recent documentary on Africa's Gold Smuggling mafia has confirmed that the country is being exploited by collaborators who benefit from illegal gold mining and smuggling.

“The active endorsement of these illegal activities by some in officialdom is an affront to the country's future, and it is unacceptable to trade our environment for the benefit of a few who profit from these illicit trades.

“It is high time for a national investigation into these matters,” he posted on Facebook. 

Already, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has implored the Special Prosecutor to investigate allegations. 

According to the NDC’s Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, the number of times the President and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia have been referenced in bribe-taking syndicates was alarming.

He pointed out that the Presidency tends to keep quiet when investigative reports suggest corrupt practices within the Office of the Presidency.

“As has become standard practice under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government, the Presidency has kept a deafening silence on this matter in the wake of the damning revelations contained in the Al Jazeera documentary.

A gold trader exposed in Al Jazeera’s Gold Mafia investigative documentary has alleged that President Akufo-Addo is his friend and lawyer.

Al Jazeera’s latest investigation, Gold Mafia, has uncovered a band of criminals driving gold smuggling and money laundering worth billions of dollars in Southern Africa.

However, those involved in this gold smuggling syndicate have business networks that stretch across the continent and operate in many other countries including Ghana.

Alistair Mathias, described by the investigative reporters as a financial architect who builds money laundering schemes for corrupt politicians, was approached by undercover journalists posing as Chinese criminals to help them launder money from China.

Speaking to the undercover reporters while trying to strike a deal, he alleged that President Akufo-Addo is his friend and was his lawyer too.

Alistair had earlier revealed that he has been smuggling $40 million worth of gold from Ghana monthly, which is $480 million worth of gold annually.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.