The Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Joseph Whittal, has refuted allegations former Environment Minister, Prof Frimpong-Boateng was involved in galamsey.
Symphony Limited, a company owned by Prof Frimpong-Boateng’s wife and later his son, was said to have been used for illegal transactions.
But according to Mr Whittal, a thorough investigation following a petition against the renowned surgeon in 2019 established that he had genuine concessions.
“We investigated allegations made against Prof Frimpong-Boateng. We went in and did a very thorough investigation, came out with our report, a 116-page report, and the offshoot is that he was not involved in any illegal mining concessions.
“He had genuine concessions which he had difficulties even starting the processing of these concessions because of community violence against his company,” he said on Accra-based TV3.
The controversy has intensified the past few days after Prof. Frimpong-Boateng provided names of government officials and New Patriotic Party members at the Jubilee House who are actively engaged in unlawful small-scale mining, also known as ‘galamsey.’
In a signed 37-page report addressed to the President, the Chief of Staff and the police, some NPP power brokers were accused of hiring Chinese nationals to participate in galamsey on their behalf.
Former presidential staffer and Secretary to IMCIM, Charles Bissue, wading into the report questioned its timing, adding Prof. Frimpong- Boateng is “not clean” when it comes to the country’s problems with illegal mining.
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He, therefore, said Prof Frimpong-Boateng should have added his name.
But Mr Whittal insisted Prof Frimpong-Boateng’s family including his son and his wife on the back of their investigations were all cleared.
Listen to Mr Whittal in the audio above:
, Joseph Whittal has refuted allegations former Environment Minister, Prof Frimpong-Boateng was involved in galamsey.){kind=link}