The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has argued that the galamsey report authored by the former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng merits a thorough investigation.
The former Chairman of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining in a 37-page document, accused government officials of engaging in galamsey or interfering in his work
Dr. Apaak envisaged in an interview that the outcome of the probe will serve as a template for Ghanaians to push for better ways in fighting galamsey.
He charged the Office of the Special Prosecutor and Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to look into the matter.
“The content of this report is only affirming what we already know. What the report has done is to bring it to bear the illegalities in our forest reserves. This is why the NDC is calling for a probe, the report has a basis to be investigated. The entities [presidency] that received the report, chose not to give it any attention. We now have to look at entities that are independent of the recipient of this report, such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor and CHRAJ.
“I think that if we can muster the courage as a nation to push for a public interrogation of this report, the outcome will serve as a template to inform us on the way forward as captured by the author’s heading. What we are saying is that this report merits thorough investigation.”
Clement Apaak
The MP asserted that the former Chairman of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining will be more than willing to appear before a commission of inquiry, if invited.
“Good for us and good for Ghanaians, Professor Frimpong-Boateng is alive and well. He’s healthy, I know for a fact that if he’s invited to appear before a commission of inquiry or CHRAJ or appear before a parliamentary committee he will be more than willing to make himself available.”
Clement Apaak
According to him, anyone who attempts to rubbish the report and question the former Minister’s motive, will be fighting against the tide, instead of slamming the Presidency for discrediting the report.
“I have seen and read the report. I have read the responses. I must say that, looking at the calibre, status, the gravitas of the author of the report, anyone who seeks to rubbish it and question his motive, is clearly fighting against the tide. There’s no fair-minded Ghanaian who will read this report and not agree with the content, that if for nothing at all Professor Frimpong-Boateng has done his best in trying to draw attention to what is militating against illegal mining. Rather than giving the report the needed attention that it ought to receive, it was rather put under a pile of documents.”
Clement Apaak
Apaak Suggests Gov’t Uses Green Ghana Funds To Support School Feeding Program
Clement Apaak suggested to the Akufo-Addo government to abandon the celebration of the 2023 Green Ghana project and use the funds to settle school feeding caterers.
The Chairman of the 2023 Green Ghana Project, Benito Owusu-Bio said the Ministry of Finance has approved GH¢2.5 million for the Green Ghana.
However, it is well known that caterers who cook for basic school kids in the country have been on a nationwide strike, following the government’s failure to pay them their arrears and increase the amount per child. They are calling for an increment of the amount per child from 97 pesewas to GH¢3.50.
Dr. Apaak therefore, argued that it is pointless for the government to invest hugely in planting trees, when caterers have not been paid their monies. He said the Green Ghana project should not be a priority of the country, when the future generations are not being fed due to government’s inability to pay caterers debts owed.
“This government has been able to find money for the Green Ghana project. Recently we heard from the deputy minister of lands and natural resources, Benito Owusu-Bio that some GH¢2.5 million has been approved for the planting of trees [Green Ghana project]. Is it a priority? Are we protecting the existing forest? How well have we catered to those trees since the inception of this project? I want to call on government to divert resources into paying school feeding caterers and adjust the rate to GH¢3.50, as they have asked for and let’s shelve the planting of trees for this year until things normalise.
“We should put some of these expenditures on hold and then move those resources to pay the school feeding caterers their arrears and to increase the rate from the current miserable 97 pesewas per child to ¢3.50. What can 97 pesewas do today? How much is even the cost of an egg? Prices of goods have gone up, so it’s practically impossible to expect them to be able to provide a hot nutritious meal per a child.”
Clement Apaak
Dr. Apaak said it’s needless for government size to be bloated when it’s unable to finance social intervention programmes such as the school feeding programme.
“When the system is challenged, we expect those in charge of the affairs of the state to mobilise resources to ensure that the vulnerable in society are catered for. This is the time that government has to find money to ensure that programmes, such as the school feeding programme are sustained because of the clientele the programme serves. Why do we need a bloated government when we need money to finance social interventions programme such as the school feeding programme? Why waste money on National Cathedral when we don’t have money to finance the school feeding programme?”
Clement Apaak
He opined that the school feeding programme needs to be sustained in the midst of the economic crisis as majority of pupils’ lives depend on it.
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