The Presidency has jumped to the defence of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, following the damning details of the Frimpong-Boateng report, which was leaked over the week.
The report cites a number of government appointees, for putting spokes in the wheel of the Committee, pointing out that all ministers, except those of Water and Sanitation and Local Government and Rural Development, abandoned the Committee at some point.
The Presidency suggested in its response to the content of the report that Prof Frimpong-Boateng should have formally handed over such a report to the Secretary of Cabinet, which set up the Committee, or the President of the Republic.
“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.
“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 Investigative Justice of the Ghana Police Service.”
The Presidency
Moreover, almost all appointees have rejected the allegations as cited in the report. Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, former member of parliament for Manso Nkwanta Constituency, Joseph Albert Quarm, NPP member Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko and now the Presidency, have all denied the allegations.
However, Professor Ransford Gyampo and lawyer Martin Kpebu, were among panelists who said the public Commission of Inquiry, will be best placed to interrogate all the persons cited in the report.
On his part, Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, claimed also that the Special Prosecutor should have been long informed by now.
Presidency Refers To Report As A Catalogue Of Personal Grievances And Claims
The Presidency said that the report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), can only be rightly referred to as a catalogue of personal grievances and claims made by Professor Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister for Environment, Science,Technology and Innovation, and Chairperson of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
The seat of government also said that it is intended to respond to some issues he faced as Chairperson of the IMCIM.
The report imputes wrongdoing on the part of some government appointees in the fight against illegal small scale mining (Galamsey).
A statement issued by the Presidency on Saturday, April, 22, said 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 Presidency
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