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.
According to the Presidency, the report submitted to the Chief of Staff in March 2021 is only a catalogue of personal grievances of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, who chaired the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
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.”
Jubilee House insists: “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 Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.”
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, New Patriotic Party (NPP) member Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko and now the Presidency have all denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, a Commission of Inquiry has been recommended by panelists of TV3‘s The Keypoints to be set up to look into the issues.
Professor Ransford Yaw 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 said the Special Prosecutor should have been long informed by now.
“This is something that should have been referred to the Special Prosecutor by now,” he stated.