The Minority in Parliament on Tuesday, demanded that the House steps up efforts to hold the Executive accountable on monies expended on the fight against illegal mining.

Speaking in the plenary, Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini said the president, Nana Akufo-Addo should be held accountable for the so-called galamsey fight which he described as “less than a successful campaign.”

He said the Executive must be queried about all resources deployed and the ammunition and other equipment seized from illegal miners. This, he argued would further the interests of the people they represent in parliament.

But rejecting the NDC MP’s claims, Local Government Minister, Alima Mahama said the galamsey fight is not a failure. Her own Ministry has a success story to tell, she claimed.

Hajia Mahama who is also a member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee against Illegal Mining caused a storm in the House when she put the figure of some missing excavators seized from illegal miners at 34.

Local Government Minister, Alima Mahama

Earlier reports said the number of excavators that had gone missing is around 300 to 500.

Environment Minister, Frimpong Boateng, speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, however, disputed the figure, saying it is “way below 500 excavators.”

Addressing journalists outside the chamber, Alima Mahama said the issue of the missing excavators first came up when an audit was commissioned into some matters relating to illegal mining.

She said 34 excavators that were kept at a location in Tema were no longer there and an investigation has begun to locate the excavators. “We are not saying someone has stolen them, we don’t know,” she said.

She added the investigation report will inform the government as to what happened to the excavators.

She said if there is a need for prosecution of any officials after the report comes out, it would be done.

Meanwhile, six persons, including a suspended NPP Chairman in the Central Region, Ekow Ewusi have been arrested in connection to the missing exactors.