A former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, has clapped back at President Akufo-Addo’s brother, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, for his response to portions of an IMCIM report that indicted him.
He says Mr. Otchere-Darko’s façade of being a counsel to C & G Aleska, a mining company that had been bared by the Minerals Commission and and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources from engaging in illegal mining was causing more harm to the state than good.
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“On 29th November 2016, Mr. Toni Aubyn, then Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission during the NDC administration, wrote to C&G Aleska that the Company was “seriously engaged in illegal mining on its prospecting licence”. On 30th January 2017, Mr. Aubyn wrote again to C&G Aleska for “undertaking mining activities illegally without obtaining all the requisite permits and approvals”,” he said in a statement issued Sunday, April 23, 2023.
The Professor, who chaired an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal M ining (IMCIM) set up by the President in 2017 had said in a March 2021 report presented to the Chief of Staff among other things that Gabby, who is President Akufo-Addo’s brother had called in as a lawyer to the firm that his company had the right to mine after their operations were intercepted by the taskforce.
A third order asking the company to halt illegal mining was issued after it changed from C & G Aleska to Heritage Imperial Mining Company Ltd.
“…Again, on 2nd October 2017, Hon. John Peter Amewu, the first NPP Minister for Lands and Natural Resources wrote to G&G Aleska regarding the Dwuabo concession and directed that “in view of the fact that C&G Aleska does not have a valid Mining Operating Permit, and that the Ministry has not yet ratified your mining lease, you are directed NOT TO CARRY OUT ANY MINING OPERATIONS in the concession until your mining lease has been ratified.
“C&G Aleska metamorphosed into Heritage Imperial Mining Co. Ltd. operated by Donald Entsuah. This time they settled in the Apaprama and Kobro forests in Manso in the Ashanti Region and immediately started with active mining without even a prospecting licence with the attendant destruction of forests, farmlands, and water bodies,” he clarified.
Following the report, Mr. Otchere-Darko through an interview he granted to Accra-based Citi TV/FM said he only phoned in to seek information about his client and that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng is only peddling falsehood against him.
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“Mr. Gabby Otchere Darko, it is laughable that you claim to have called me to seek information on your client. If you needed any information, you could have called the Minerals Commission.
“You know I did not operate mining information services. You called to tell me that your client had a valid mining licence and all necessary permits. I told you that Heritage Imperial Co. Ltd. did not possess documents permitting it to undertake active mining,” the IMCIM Chair refuted in his Sunday statement.
Meanwhile, Prof. says “that notwithstanding through your (Gabby Otchere-Darko) intervention the Chinese, who were arrested were released by the task force. The many soldiers who were providing security service to your client’s company attacked the IMCIM task force team and damaged the vehicle carrying journalists who were covering the IMCIM operations.”
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By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com|Ghana
