The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has welcomed numerous calls for action and investigations, following the bombshell galamsey report, authored by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who is a former Chairman of the now defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, in his report, accused some stalwart of the Akufo-Addo-administration of interfering in his galamsey [illegal small-scale mining] fight or being engaged in galamsey.
Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and many other stakeholders amongst others, have called on the OSP to probe the allegations made in the report.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, in a statement on May 2, assured the public and civil society that investigation is ongoing and far-reaching. He said his outfit commenced investigations in 2022 on suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in illegal mining, and it also covers claims raised in the report by the former Chairman of the defunct IMCIM.
“The OSP acknowledges the recent calls for action and investigations into these matters by the public and civil society, following the publication of a report on parts of these matters authored by a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation and head of the dissolved IMCIM.
“The OSP welcomes the calls for action and investigations and it assures the public and civil society that its investigation is ongoing and far-reaching and it also covers the matters raised in the report published by the head of the dissolved IMCIM.”
OSP
Kissi Agyebeng further assured to take necessary action against persons found culpable of corruption. “The OSP will take necessary action against all persons deemed culpable of corruption and corruption-related offences in the mining sector,” he claimed.
Many Others Petitioned OSP To Probe Into The Issue
The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, also argued that the galamsey report authored by the former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng merits a thorough investigation. 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.
Moreover, the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Minority caucus, called on Parliament to set up a bi-partisan investigative ad-hoc committee, to look into Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng’s bombshell report on illegal mining in the country.
Dr. Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, the Member of Parliament for Wa central and the ranking member on the committee on Mines and Energy, speaking on behalf of the Minority caucus, said the indictment of some government officials in the report is an indication that the current administration is unwilling to deal with the pervasive challenges, facing the mining sector.
However, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, claims Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation, should be invited by the Police CID, following allegations he made in his galamsey report.
The South Dayi MP also claimed that all member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who were equally accused in the report, should be investigated as well. The legislator believes there must be a thorough probe into the allegations, despite the fact that the presidency and persons accused in the report, have all discredited the allegations.
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