The former Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has refuted allegations that he deliberately leaked his galamsey report to cause public disaffection for the government.
The heart surgeon said he only released the report to CID officials who interrogated him following his interview with GTV.
According to him, they are the only group he released the report to aside from the Presidency.
“I didn’t write the report for Ghanaians to talk about it. It has been two years since the report was authored.
"I didn’t leak it. After I was granted an interview with GTV, some CID officials visited me to investigate some comments I made in the interview concerning some excavators. I then handed over the report to them.
“I am not saying the CID officials leaked the report but I gave them the report to aid their investigations and that was the end,” he said in an interview with Accra-based UTV on Friday, May 5.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng, the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) cited persons in government who he accuses of frustrating his effort to fight what is locally called ‘galamsey’ when he was Environment Minister.
“Throughout our struggle with illegalities in the small-scale mining sector, what baffled me was the total disregard of the President’s commitment to protecting the environment.
“I can state without any equivocation that many party officials from the national to the unit committee level had their friends, PAs, agents, relatives, financiers, or relatives engaged in illegal mining. Most of them engaged Chinese working for them.
“I am not referring to party people who had their legitimate concession and were mining sustainably as they were instructed to do.
“There are appointees in the Jubilee House that are doing or supporting illegal mining or interfering with the fight against the menace,” excerpts of the document said.
While some of the persons he mentioned in the report have denied any wrongdoing, many in the public believe the galamsey fight is a lost cause.
Latest Stories
-
Cecilia Dapaah’s case: EOCO hasn’t requested for FBI report – Office of the Special Prosecutor
2 hours -
Andre Ayew scores 5th league goal as Le Havre beat Strasbourg
2 hours -
Ejisu by-election: NPP didn’t sanction money distribution to voters – Richard Ahiagbah
2 hours -
Ghana Health Service opens vacancies for 204 doctors, 25 dentists
2 hours -
Domestic tourism on the rebound with 1.4m visits to attraction sites in 2023 – GTA
3 hours -
Government working hard to complete Tema General Hospital project – Dr Okoe Boye
3 hours -
Ipswich Town seal Premier League promotion after 22 years absence
3 hours -
Accord journalists the respect due them – Opare Gyan
3 hours -
EPL: Arsenal beat Bournemouth to go four points clear of Man City
3 hours -
Cecilia Dapaah’s case: What’s happening now is a clear indication of cover-up – Amaliba
3 hours -
I felt rejected by Ghanaians – AY Poyoo
4 hours -
Terrorist cell of five Daesh supporters dismantled in Essaouira
4 hours -
My former manager deleted my songs from streaming platforms – AY Poyoo
4 hours -
Afronita and Abigail get standing ovation at Britain’s Got Talent
5 hours -
Accused in murder of a military officer in Kasoa remanded
5 hours