The realities of these criminal actions will hit us soon – Frimpong Boateng

A former Environment Minister, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng says he is not surprised with Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame’s stance on his galamsey report.

It will be recalled that the minister, who also served as the Chairman of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), produced a report claiming top government officials were supposedly involved in illegal mining activities.

The 36-page report cited Gabby Otchere Darko, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Kwaku Baako Jnr., Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (late), and many others.

However, the Attorney-General’s office said the allegations lack the necessary evidentiary support required for legal action.

He added the allegations were bare and did not provide a basis for any criminal charge against the named persons except three persons — Seth Mantey, John Ofori-Atta and Ekow Ewusi.

In a statement responding to the Attorney-General, Professor Frimpong-Boateng stressed that the environmental damage caused by alleged criminals involved in illegal mining would become apparent in the future.

“I also believe, to the Attorney General, there are no party people involved in illegal mining; there are no government appointees churning the soils in our forests and farmlands for gold; there are no Chinese engaged in illegal mining.

“We are to believe that all the documentaries filed by Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor on illegal mining are untrue and fake. I wish the Attorney General would have told Ghanaians why there was no action on my report and waited for more than two years when I have been out of office to now tell Ghanaians that, there is no evidence to prosecute those implicated in the report.

“We can all close our eyes and bagatellize the destruction of the environment and its biodiversity, but the reality of these criminal actions by people who have no conscience and love for the country will be evident in the near future if not soon,” he said.