Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has expressed disgust over the response from the Presidency to Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng's report accusing some officials at the Jubilee House of being involved in illegal mining, locally called 'galamsey'.
President Akufo-Addo tasked the Police to investigate allegations by the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Professor Frimpong Boateng, regarding the seat of government’s involvement in galamsey.
The renowned Professor, who served under President Akufo-Addo as Minister and Chairman of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), during his first term insisted that the rot goes as high as the government seat, Jubilee House.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is said to be in charge of the probe.
But to the seasoned Journalist, the reply by the Presidency may affect the outcome of the Police investigation into the issue.
Speaking on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", he wondered how the Police is supposed to undertake credible investigations following the Jubilee House statement describing Prof. Frimpong-Boateng's report as a "catalogue of personal grievances and claims".
"At the outset, it must be pointed out that the document being discussed was not an official report formally delivered to the Office of the President. On the contrary, it can only be rightly referred to as a catalogue of personal grievances and claims made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, intended to respond to some issues he faced as Chairperson of the IMCIM," the statement posted on the Presidency's website said.
"After this statement, how do we expect the Police to bring a proper report; any fair report when the Presidency has already decided that it's a catalogue of grievances and hearsay?", Kwesi Pratt questioned after analyzing the Jubilee House statement.
Jubilee Hosue Press Statement On Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s Report
Read full statement below:
The attention of the Office of the President has been drawn to a publication in the media ostensibly quoting from a document authored by the former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Chairperson of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, which, allegedly, imputes wrongdoing on the part of some government appointees in the fight against Galamsey.
At the outset, it must be pointed out that the document being discussed was not an official report formally delivered to the Office of the President. On the contrary, it can only be rightly referred to as a catalogue of personal grievances and claims made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, intended to respond to some issues he faced as Chairperson of the IMCIM.
The document was handed to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President on March 19th 2021, in an informal meeting, where Prof. Frimpong-Boateng complained about public attacks and criticisms made about his tenure as Chairperson of the IMCIM.
This was after Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s tenure as Minister had not been renewed by the President of the Republic in his second term. The document did not have a transmittal or cover letter nor, indeed, an addressee, such as to suggest that it was submitted to the Chief of Staff for action. It is noteworthy that the IMCIM was a creature of Cabinet, and any formal report on its activities would, normally, be submitted to Cabinet through the Cabinet Secretary, or directly to the President of the Republic as Chairperson of Cabinet. 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.
Indeed, the allegations contained in the document are at best hearsay. It is instructive that since Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s meeting with the Chief of Staff in March 2021, he has taken no step nor acted in furtherance of the matters contained in the document.
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.
We continue to count on the co-operation of the general public.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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