Galamsey Report: ‘I Am Ashamed’ . . . Police Enquiry Is ‘Useless’ After Response From Presidency – Kwesi Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has lambasted the Presidency for responding to Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng’s litany of allegations in a report presented to the Chief of Staff about galamsey operations in the country as the former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Chairperson of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM). 

“How do we expect the Police to present a credible report after this conclusion from the presidency?” Kwesi Pratt asked, adding that “the Police enquiry is useless after this statement”.

“It will take a miracle, what a statement,” he added.

According to him he is also ashamed with this response emanating from the Presidency.

“I am ashamed”.

“Who wrote this statement? Who is being paid at the presidency to respond to the report with such a conclusive statement after the Police have been sanctioned to investigate the matter?” Kwesi Pratt sought to know.

Presidency Rubbishes Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s Galamsey Report

The Office of the President has rubbished claims made by former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Chairperson of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, in a report on illegal small scale mining also known as galamsey in Ghana.

“At the outset, it must be pointed out that the document being discussed was not an official report formally delivered to the Office of the President. On the contrary, it can only be rightly referred to as a catalogue of personal grievances and claims made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, intended to respond to some issues he faced as Chairperson of the IMCIM,” the statement posted on the Presidency’s website said.

According to the Presidency, the document was handed to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President on March 19th 2021, in an informal meeting, where Prof. Frimpong-Boateng complained about public attacks and criticisms made about his tenure as Chairperson of the IMCIM.

Police probe Prof Frimpong-Boateng’s Jubilee House ‘galamsey’ Allegations

President Akufo-Addo has tasked the Police to investigate allegations by the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) regarding the seat of government’s involvement in illegal mining.

Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng accused some top government officials of being engaged in the canker, popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

The renowned professor who served under President Akufo-Addo during his first term insisted that the rot goes as high as the government seat, Jubilee House.

The Daily Graphic reports that the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is in charge of the probe.

The unit has already written to the former Minister to assist in the investigation.

Press Statement On Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s “Report” from Presidency

Read full statement below

The attention of the Office of the President has been drawn to a publication in the media ostensibly quoting from a document authored by the former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Chairperson of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, which, allegedly, imputes wrongdoing on the part of some government appointees in the fight against Galamsey.

At the outset, it must be pointed out that the document being discussed was not an official report formally delivered to the Office of the President. On the contrary, it can only be rightly referred to as a catalogue of personal grievances and claims made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, intended to respond to some issues he faced as Chairperson of the IMCIM.

The document was handed to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President on March 19th 2021, in an informal meeting, where Prof. Frimpong-Boateng complained about public attacks and criticisms made about his tenure as Chairperson of the IMCIM.

This was after Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s tenure as Minister had not been renewed by the President of the Republic in his second term. The document did not have a transmittal or cover letter nor, indeed, an addressee, such as to suggest that it was submitted to the Chief of Staff for action. It is noteworthy that the IMCIM was a creature of Cabinet, and any formal report on its activities would, normally, be submitted to Cabinet through the Cabinet Secretary, or directly to the President of the Republic as Chairperson of Cabinet. Till date, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng has done neither.

It is important also to point out that, whilst Prof. Frimpong-Boateng makes serious allegations against some government appointees, as having been involved in, supporting or interfering with the fight against illegal mining, not a single piece of evidence was adduced or presented to enable the claims to be properly investigated.

Indeed, the allegations contained in the document are at best hearsay. It is instructive that since Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s meeting with the Chief of Staff in March 2021, he has taken no step nor acted in furtherance of the matters contained in the document.

The President’s commitment to fighting illegal mining is unassailable, and the Office of the President welcomes any information on illegal mining activities which provides a credible basis for investigations to be conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.

We continue to count on the co-operation of the general public.

Source: Peacefmonline.com

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