Anas Aremeyaw Anas
CONTENTS OF a documentary on illegal mining by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has exposed deep-rooted corruption hampering government’s fight against galamsey in the country.
The documentary titled, ‘Galamsey Fraud… How President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Initiative Is Being Stabbed At The Back’, exposed, among other things, some high profile personalities tasked to clamp down on illegal mining who collected bribes instead and allowed the menace to persist.
The latest exposé, alleged to have taken place right at the office of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), near the seat of government, revealed ‘underhand’ dealings involving officials in charge at the IMCIM who allow people to circumvent the rules of the roadmap to end illegal mining.
It also showed that some powerful people close to, or within the IMCIM arranged protection for illegal mining firms to operate in Ghana.
“A measure to minimize the mess and menace of illegal mining in the motherland is being undermined by men mandated to manage the menace, leaving Ghana at the mercy of mercenary miners and monstrous money-grabbers within the corridors of power,” excerpt from the documentary stated.
“From the receptionist at the IMCIM through the national security at the IMCIM and the Jubilee House and the IMCIM Task Force, people are ready to contribute in every way possible to help illegal mining in order to enrich themselves,” the documentary revealed further.
For instance, part of the documentary claimed ‘School Boy’, a police officer in charge of the National Security at the IMCIM and his ‘accomplice’ at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and a member of IMCIM task force by name Kobby, alleged offered protection to an undercover illegal mining firm for various sums of money.
“When we met him, he readily agreed to help protect our concession to enable us mine without documents… He, however, asked to be paid for the job as he took GH¢1000 from me on our first meeting in ‘School Boy’s office at the IMCIM premises.”
The exposé claimed they had earlier met with a presidential staffer and secretary to the IMCIM who allegedly took cash amounting to GH¢35,000 in three meetings through one Andy Owusu.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri