MP calls for probe into allegations of NPP bigwigs involved in galamsey, following Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s claims

Calls for an investigation into allegations of involvement in illegal mining (galamsey) made against high-ranking members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been made by Dr Clement Abas Apaak, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South.

The request follows comments made by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, who claimed he was ousted to make way for NPP bigwigs to continue their galamsey activities. Frimpong-Boateng also claimed that “people at Jubilee House” were involved in illegal mining.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng was subsequently relieved of his post over missing excavators.

In a statement, Dr Apaak asked the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Bureau of National Investigations, and the Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the allegations.

Dr Apaak added that the allegations made against high-ranking members of the NPP cannot be ignored and that an investigation must be carried out to identify and punish perpetrators.

The missing excavator controversy began in 2020 when Frimpong-Boateng, who was then the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, reported that many excavators seized from illegal miners had gone missing.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng later wrote a letter to the Police Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the alleged involvement of Horace Ekow Ewusi, the then-suspended First Vice Chairman of the governing NPP, in the missing earth-moving equipment.

Below is the full statement by Dr. Clement Apaak:

“We DEMAND an investigation into allegations by Prof. Boateng, a former NPP Minister, then head of the anti-galamsey fight, that “People in the NPP, people in gov't and people at Jubilee House are engaged in galamsey”. Galamsey is a crime and those involved must be punished.

Ghanaians expect the requisite state agencies/institutions (OSP, BIN, CID) to show loyalty to Ghana by initiating investigations into the allegations made by Prof. Boateng. By his stature and previous position in this NPP gov't, these allegations cannot and must not be ignored.

CSOs, organised labour, the clergy and all well-meaning Ghanaians must canvas for an investigation into these allegations that elements in the Presidency, gov't and NPP are engaged in galamsey, and consequently, the pollution of our rivers and destruction of our environment.

In Solidarity,
Dr. Clement Abas Apaak
M.P, Builsa South