The Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi, has reacted to former Environment Minister Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng’s report in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

The latter in his report accused the then-Lands and Natural Minerals Minister and the former CEO of the Commission of resisting his attempts to clamp down on illegal mining.

But in reaction, Mr Ayisi on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, said it was rather Prof Frimpong-Boateng who failed to go through the due process before implementing any of his “beautiful” ideas.

Citing the launch of the Galamstop, Mr Ayisi said the former Environment Minister flouted regulations guiding mining in the country.

“Inter-ministerial Commission did not have the power to launch Galamstop. If you go and launch a community mining site it has to be anchored in law. In every area where someone is allowed to work lawfully, the person must get some form of authorisation, approval, or permit. Inter-ministerial had no power to do that, they had to defer it to the appropriate regulatory body.

“So if you don’t do that you [should] expect a pushback. That is why he [Prof Frimpong-Boateng] put in the report that he was facing a lot of hostility from the Chair of the Minerals Commission.  The man was only standing his ground by saying that you have to work with us not to take our powers,” he explained on Thursday.

Galamstop was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation to augment the activities of Operation Vanguard to fight galamsey in various parts of the country.

The initiative also sought to automate the licensing process of community mining companies to facilitate curbing illegal mining.

While admitting the idea was brilliant, the Chief Executive said the former Environment Minister failed to consult the Commission, therefore, making implementation difficult.

“A lot of the things they were doing, they were not consulting us [Minerals Commission]. So the Chair of the Commission thought that when you go and sit down and agree on something, you write to the minister and the minister will now instruct the Minerals Commission that we have agreed to do x, y, z as part of attempts and measures to deal with illegal mining.

“Then Minerals Commission will take the appropriate steps to get these x, y, z done. That is not what they were doing. They were getting beautiful ideas but when it comes to implementation which was not within their mandate, they were doing it as well.”