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Editor-in-Chief of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt says the Jubilee House statement in reply to Professor Frimpong Boateng's report which has "fingered" some officials at the seat of government to be involved in galamsey compromises the task of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to probe the allegations.

Professor Frimpong Boateng, in his report on galamey, accused some government officials of interfering with his work while he was the Chairman of the ertswhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).

He also noted that the rot goes as high as the seat of government as some of the officials, he alleged, are involved in galamsey.

Following his report, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, tasked the Police to investigate the issue and the CID is said to be in charge of the probe.

However, the Presidency has released a statement refuting Professor Frimpong Boateng's claims.

" . . 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 Presidency posted on its website.

It continued; "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."

The Presidency concluded that "the allegations contained in the document are at best hearsay".

Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, Mr. Pratt questioned the logic in the Presidency issuing a statement ahead of the Police investigations.

He wondered how the Police CID is supposed to launch the probe into Professor Frimpong Boateng's report after the Presidency has concluded it is a hearsay, not backed by any evidence.

"It clearly compromises Police investigations into the affair. After this report, the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police can no longer continue to investigate the matter. It has been compromised. Its report has been prejudiced and it's a dead end," he exclaimed.