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.
This comes as government continues to trumpet its commitment to the illegal mining fight.
In an interview with state broadcaster GBC, the former Minister explained that some of these individuals supervised his ousting from the Ministry in order to continue perpetuating the canker.
Prof. Boateng stressed that the allegations of some 500 missing excavators from illegal miners in 2020 were fabrications of persons in the government to get him out of the way.
Following the revelation, there were calls from a cross-section of Ghanaians for state security agencies to look into it.
On the back of this, the President wants the matter investigated.
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.
More on allegation
The former Miniter further suggested that it was his effort that prevented the forest reserves from further dissipation by these government officials for which reason there are reports of breaches now that he is no more in office.
“There was an orchestrated scheme, even within the party and government to get me out. Why is it that when I left now everyone is in the forest?” he added.
Builsa South MP, Clement Apaak is one of the people who called for an investigation into the comments
Mr Apaak believes this assertion is enough grounds to commence a full-blown probe.
“Ghanaians expect the requisite state agencies/institutions (OSP, BIN, CID) to show loyalty to Ghana by initiating investigations into the allegations made by Prof. Boateng. By his stature and previous position in this NPP gov’t, these allegations cannot and must not be ignored,” he said.
