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
In an interview with Selorm Adonoo on Citi TV/Citi FM’s news analysis programme, the Big Issue on Saturday, Dr. Apaak envisaged 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,” Dr. Apaak argued.
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,” the MP for Builsa South said.
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.
Dr. Apaak observed, “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”.