Galamsey Has Been A Free-For-All Enterprise For Akufo-Addo Appointees – Sammy Gyamfi

The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has described as “galamsey kingpins” all the government appointees cited in the Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng report.

The report details the operations of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), citing some government officials for working against the spirited fight against the destruction of forests and water bodies.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng indicated that only two ministers – Water and Sanitation and Local Government and Rural Development – kept faith with the mandate of the Committee.

All the rest including the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, abandoned the Committee, according to the celebrated heart surgeon.

Addressing journalists in Accra on Tuesday, April 25, Sammy Gyamfi said many of the appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo were neck-deep in galamsey and engaged in the activity with reckless abandon.

He said the report underscored the fact that “illegal mining has been a free-for-all enterprise” of appointees of government.

Among the appointees cited in the report include Laud Commey, Charles Nii Tagoe, Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, former Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Mafo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawyer Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, former New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker Joseph Albert Quarm, Kwadwo Osei Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, who died on July 1, 2020 as the Forestry Commission Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and his PA Charles Owusu.

Sammy Gyamfi said the nephew of the President, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, for instance, acted with impunity and this must be called out and condemned by all.

“Shame to all the media personalities who are shamelessly defending the action of Gabby Otchere-Darko.”

He served notice that the NDC will be petitioning the Clerk of Parliament and the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) to launch investigations into the matter.

“Our nation stands united crying for justice. Anything short of a bi-partisan inquiry into this matter will be fiercely resisted.”