Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin
The elders of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council in the Eastern Region will today storm the offices of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) in Accra to register their dissatisfaction with a report on illegal mining by the security agency, which indicts the Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
The secretary to Okyenhene, D.M Ofori-Atta, who disclosed this to Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ on Monday in reaction to the BNI report, alleged that Okyenhene is behind ‘galamsey.’
He noted that the chiefs would storm the premises of the security agency on Tuesday to ask them to explain why it named their chief in the report on ‘galamsey’ activities in the country.
“All the chiefs in Akyem Abuakwa met on Sunday and they were not happy with the report, so we would be marching to the offices of the BNI Director to register our displeasure at the contents,” DM Ofori-Atta said.
The report, the secretary to the Okyenhene said, was not accurate, as it was based on perception and not any concrete evidence and further accused the BNI and National Security of being on a mission to denigrate the image of the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
A 31-page report of the BNI cited some chiefs and political figures in the country as being involved in illegal mining.
The report focused on districts in eight out of the 10 regions of Ghana where galamsey is taking place.
The BNI report, which was intercepted by the media, said illegal mining was a source of worry for the citizens.
The report revealed that there is perception among residents of Kyebi that Okyenhene is behind illegal mining activities in the area.
“It is further alleged that the Okyenhene has constituted a taskforce, as part of its environmental foundation, who allegedly extort monies from illegal miners in the area,” a portion of the report said.
NDC MP
The Tamale Central Member of Parliament (MP), Inusah Fuseini, commenting on the report on Joy News’ current affairs programme, Newsfile on Saturday, said that “it’s unfortunate that the BNI mentioned Okyenhene’s name…BNI is only out there to denigrate Okyeman and Okyenhene stool, it’s only a subtle attempt at denigrating the stool,” he said.
He said that the Eastern Region Police had written to the Okyenhene to know whether it is indeed true that Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II had formed a taskforce to tackle ‘galamsey.’
DM Ofori-Atta said he categorically wrote back to the Divisional Police, stating that Okyenhene had disbanded the taskforce after several complaints.
“The divisional police command wrote a letter to ask about the taskforce on 5th April, 2016, I replied that there’s no creature referred to as Okyenhene taskforce, because it has been disbanded due to public complaints of extortion, public harassment and others,” he stated.
According to DM Ofori-Atta, the BNI and persons, who hate Okyenhene, were just working to destroy image of Akyem Abuakwa and that of Okyenhene.
“Akyem Abuakwa constitutes two-thirds of Eastern Region and ‘galamsey’ go on in other regions, why is Okyenhene the only one being accused”? he quizzed.
From Daniel Bampoe, Kyebi