Member of Parliament for Asene-Akroso-Manso constituency, George Kwame Aboagye, who was also mentioned in the damning Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s explosive report on illegal mining, known in local parlance as galamsey, has said he will resign if the heart surgeon can back his claims with evidence.
According to him, though his company buys gold from miners, he does not engage in any illegality.
In a report presented to the Chief of Staff in March 2021, the former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation accused some NPP officials of engaging in and promoting illegal mining.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng also alleged that the Asene-Akroso-Manso MP sold lands to illegal miners for galamsey.
But Mr Aboagye, speaking on Burning Issues with Akua Boakyewaa Yiadom on Adom FM’s evening political talk show, said before he became MP, he was into gold business and was buying, exporting gold and his company was also giving assistance to some small scale miners to do proper mining but he was not involved in any illegalities.
After going to Parliament, he handed over the company to some people to steer the affairs of the business and he is surprised his name was mentioned as owing mining concessions and was engaging in illegal mining.
“Before I went to Parliament, I had a company that was dealing in gold i.e. buying and selling of gold but I do not own a mining concession so I find it surprising for Prof. to mention my name in his report.”
The lawmaker was asked if people close to him have mining concessions and answered yes and that some of his relatives and people close to him own concessions but are not engaged in galamsey or illegal mining.
Mr Aboagye, therefore, wants investigations into the report, adding that he will step down if it is proven that he is doing illegal mining.
Co-Chairman of Extractive Industries and Transparency Initiatives, Steve Manteaw, is also calling for an independent Commission of Enquiry to look into the report and allegations made by Professor Frimpong-Boateng to ascertain the truth.
He added that illegal mining became worst when the country invested money into oil and mineral sector to fight illegalities going on in the industry.
He said he was not surprised about the things Professor Frimpong-Boateng said.
According to him, all the things said by Professor Frimpong-Boateng were on their table through their research with the help of the World Bank.
