President Nana Akufo-Addo has summoned the DCE for Bosome Freho in the Ashanti Region following his alleged involvement in illegal mining.
The DCE is alleged to have been involved in dealings and transactions linked to mining concessions within his jurisdiction in the region.
This was confirmed by President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, October 5, during his meeting with MMDCEs from mining areas in Kumasi.
He indicated that his appointee has been referred to the local government ministry headed by Dan Botwe for questioning of which his fate will be decided in the aftermath of the meeting.
“Your colleague in Bosome Freho has been summoned by the minister for local government to come and answer questions over the public accusations and depending on the quality of his response, we will decide what the future holds for him,” President Akufo-Addo pointed.
He pointed out that he will not shield any of his appointees found culpable in the fight against illegal mining.
“I am not in the position to protect anybody, against whom evidence is massive about their complicity in this matter, when the facts are broad, you will be invited to comment on it.”
Having maintained his commitment to continue the fight against the menace, President Akufo-Addo reiterated he will not relent although it affected his government some votes in the Western Region during the 2020 elections.
“You are aware that in the last election, it costs us, especially in the Western Region, most of the mining communities in the area turned their back on us, there were just two exceptions, Tarkwa and Bibiani, the rest turned their back on us, so there is a political cost to the fight we are waging, it’s a cost we should be prepared to pay in the interest of Ghana.”
Nana Addo further sought assistance from the traditional leaders across the country in the fight against illegal mining practices noting that the activity is having a negative effect on water bodies.
He also observed that politicizing the campaign over the years has done more harm than good therefore it must be devoid of politics to achieve its intended purposes adding the campaign “can only succeed if it is a truly national battle.”
“No one seeks to exploit [the fight against galamsey] for political gains as we saw in the last election. The progress of our country depends on all of us, all citizens of Ghana, all fellow Ghanaians, pulling together to defeat this existential threat to our future.
“I ask all of you to join hands with me in the fight against illegal mining in order to bring to an end the devastation of our lands and the pollution of our water bodies,” the president stated.
