President Akufo-Addo says he will never punish his appointees who were caught up with corruption activities during the fight against illegal mining in the country based on hearsay.
“I am determined to enforce the laws on illegal mining no matter the subject, high or low. I will, however, not act on hearsay or mere allegations without more. I will not hesitate to act though where the evidence is hard before the police.
“And I will do so irrespective of the standing of the person or persons involved. That is the true meaning of equality before the law,” the President said at the launch of the National Consultative Forum on small-scale mining in Accra Wednesday.
The President however called for a nonpartisan approach in the fight against the menace which has destroyed a larger part of Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves.
“We cannot have one part of the political divide campaigning for galamsey in the bush and the other waging an official fight against galamsey in the open,” President Akufo-Addo said as he launched the forum on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
“It is absolutely crucial that the deliberations of this consultative dialogue be candid and devoid of partisanship or narrow parochial interests”.
For his part Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, said he will need the help of Ghanaians in dealing with the canker.
“We will require a holistic honest national effort anchored on the integrity of action. We will require a candid collaborative and collective action.
“Whatever sets of measures that will emanate from the deliberations over the next two days, if approved by the government will be implemented diligently,” Mr. Jinapr said.
Some former appointees of the president were fingered to be aiding illegal mining in an investigative piece done by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Some of them were captured on tape.
