The Minority caucus is calling 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.
The group says the involvement of some key persons who are linked to the government in the document is making it difficult for the president to act on the report which was presented to him in 2021.
The ranking member on the committee on Mines and Energy, Dr. Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, 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.
“Having read Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s report on illegal mining, we the Minority have come to a painful conclusion that the Akufo-Addo-led government is fully stripped of all semblance of a serious government entrusted in securing the country’s environment for future generations.
“We want to assure Ghanaians that the government will be monitored to ensure that something definite happens in these allegations. We want to assure them that Parliament will set up a bi-partisan investigative committee, maybe an ad hoc committee, on this matter upon request by the Minority so that we can understand the issues,” the Member of Parliament for Wa central said.
He said the Minority is disgusted by the government’s alleged involvement in illegal mining and called on all well-meaning citizens to rally behind them to expose the supposed rot at the seat of government.
“We call on the public through appropriate civil society groups to demonstrate an interest in this matter. It is the worst we have ever had in which the watchman has become the thief,” the MP said.
Present at the conference were some leading members of the NDC as well as youth groups from the Wa Central constituency.