The Benjamin Aryee committee has submitted its report to the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, on the Apiate explosion.
The three-member committee, tasked to look into the explosion, revealed that the committee’s work comprehensively covered issues and interviewed all the relevant stakeholders including the police, eyewitnesses, chiefs, medical officers and dispatchers at Maxam.
Mr Aryee indicated that the committee was impartial in its investigation of the explosion and the report contains factual representations of happenings on the day of the unfortunate incident.
“We have dispassionately looked at the facts that were presented to us, which we were able to unearth and objectively we have put together the facts to the extent we could establish them. On the basis of this, we have presented our findings and then some recommendations were made. We were able to over the period visit the relevant stakeholders, we were able to talk to witnesses to the various incidents and through the interviews and our observations, we have come up with this report… which we believe fairly represents the fact of the case”.
Benjamin Aryee
Following the incident, Mr Aryee explained that the Minerals Commission “rightfully” did the initial investigation and submitted a preliminary report to the Lands Minister. However, he noted that given the “national importance” and interest in the incident, Mr Jinapor decided to set up the committee to independently investigate the occurrence, “to corroborate, verify or otherwise establish what led to the happenings at Appiate”.
Mr Aryee maintained that the committee shall not “pre-empt” what the minister decides to do with its report.
“I must say that the committee was to submit our report on Thursday, the 27th of January as directed by the minister. We’ve taken a bit more time than is required of us because we wanted to do a good job”.
Benjamin Aryee
Government to act swiftly on committee findings
Receiving the report, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, pledged that his ministry will act swiftly on the findings. According to him, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will ensure that persons found to have indulged in any wrongdoing which led to the destruction of lives and properties will be dealt with.
“We should be able to review this report as soon as possible and be able to come to a firm conclusion as to what are the necessary steps we have to take… When incidents like this occur, it is important that we establish the facts dispassionately… Let me assure the country that the president is fully committed to ensuring that whoever is found culpable or committed any wrong in this matter will be made to face the full rigours of the laws and whatever lessons we need to learn, we will do so”.
Samuel Abu Jinapor
Mr Jinapor expressed confidence in the report of the committee, indicating that what it has done is “exactly in accordance with this attitude and spirit of fairness and objectively anchored in integrity”.
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