The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party Bernard Antwi Boasiako has denied any involvement in illegal small scale mining as being alleged by some traditional leaders in the Amansie Central district of the Ashanti Region.
According to the Chiefs, Mr. Boasiako and Kojo Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John have taken over lands under the guise of reclamation and are supervising illegal mining activities on those lands.
Addressing the media in Parliament Tuesday, the minority spokesperson on Energy Adam Mutawakilu also said the minority is in possession of evidence against four persons linked to the NPP including Sir John and Mr. Boasiako engaging in galamsey.
“The information that the Minority have is that the CEO of Forestry Commission Sir John uses his office to put signposts [indicating] that certain areas are marked for reclamation but in actual fact there is serious galamsey going on in the areas and the signposts is just to deceive the Military from invading those places,” the Damango lawmaker alleged.
“And that’s what happened in Jakobi (in the Ashanti Region). There was a big signboard that reclamation was going on but when the Military, Operation Vanguard got in, they realized that there was serious galamsey going on with the knowledge of these appointees,” he added.
But in a statement, Mr. Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi described the claims as unfortunate.
“The office of chairman Wontumi wishes to state unequivocally that Mr. Antwi- Boasiako is NOT directly or indirectly engaged or linked in any acts of illegal mining, neither is he engaged in any act of illegal mining in the Amansie area or in the said forest reserve, as alleged by the traditional leaders.
“It therefore considers the allegations as very unfortunate, especially coming from no mean persons, but the reversed and respected traditional leaders of Amansie traditional Area.”
Below is Wontumi’s full statement
RESPONSE TO ALLEGATION OF ILLEGAL MINING AGAINST CHAIRMAN WONTUMI
The office of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Bernard Boasiako has been drawn to a publication by some online news portals, radio stations, and other media platforms on allegation of illegal mining purported to have been made traditional leaders in the Amansie Central district of the Ashanti region, against Mr. Boasiako (alias Wontumi).
In the said reportage, the chiefs were quoted to have accused Chairman Wontumi of supervising illegal mining activities by some Chinese nationals within the Aprapram forest reserve in the Amansie traditional area.
The allegations came up during a meeting held between the traditional leaders of Amansie and the minister of chieftaincy and traditional affairs.
The office of chairman Wontumi wishes to state unequivocally that Mr. Antwi- Boasiako is NOT directly or indirectly engaged or linked in any acts of illegal mining, neither is he engaged in any act of illegal mining in the Amansie area or in the said forest reserve, as alleged by the traditional leaders.
It therefore considers the allegations as very unfortunate, especially coming from no mean persons, but the reversed and respected traditional leaders of Amansie traditional Area.
Mr. Bernard Antwi- Boasiako wishes to implore the media, the general public and all well-meaning Ghanaians to disregard the allegations and treat it with all the contempt it deserves.
It further wishes to caution all concerned to desist from further publishing such unmeritorious and malicious allegations against the NPP regional chairman and the very personality of Mr
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, or face the consequences thereof.
Thank you.
Signed
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
