Former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Charles Bissue has denied allegations of wrong doing in the fight against galamsey in Ghana.
He said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) continues to mislead and court negative emotions of the people in this galamsey fight.
This comes after the Communications Director for the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi said that the next NDC government will investigate and prosecute Bernard Antwi Bosiako, a.k.a Chairman Wontumi, Ekow Awusi, Charles Bissue and all key members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their involvement in illegal mining.
Sammy Gyamfi underscored that there are enough evidence available to prosecute and jail these people for illegally destroying forest reserves, farmlands and water bodies.
Sammy Gyamfi, who was addressing the media in Accra on Thursday, October 6, insisted that it will be the saddest day in his life if NDC in power fails to prosecute chairman Wontumi and co to deter others.
“The saddest day in my life will be the day NDC fails to prosecute Chairman Wontumi, Ekow Awusi and Charlse Bissue for engaging in mining without permit.
“We have enough visual evidence to prosecute these people and all the key members of the NPP who are actively engaged in the illegal menace,” he reiterated.
Sammy Gyamfi also described President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s renewed commitment to fight galamsey as a mirage, scam and a lost battle.
He underscored that the government’s score on the fight against illegal mining is an unmitigated disaster.
He explained that NDC is not against mining in the country but it is against mining in water bodies and anticipate the government to drastically deal with the people involved in such illegal activities.
But in a statement responding to him, Mr Bissue said“My attention has been drawn to the scathing attack on my person by the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi in his press conference that responded to President H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s renewed assurance in the fight against illegal mining. In that press conference aired on various media platforms on Thursday 6 October 2022, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi malign and traduce me by referencing a rather doctored and propaganda-induced documentary authored by Tiger Eye P.I’s Anas Aremeyaw Anas,” said Charles Bissue in his press statement.
“As I have said countless times, that money was not a bribe, and I did not make any demands whatsoever from any operative or beneficiary of illegal mining while I served on the IMCIM.
“The money in question was a donation from the NPP Chairman of the Ashanti
Region, Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi, to the then NPP
Western Regional Organiser, Abdul Ganiyu for a party event organsied in the
Western Region.
“For the malice and character assassination that Anas and his sponsors had in
mind, the public was denied the audio recordings and full disclosure of the
purpose of that money handed to me. It was uncovered that a former employee of the IMCIM, Francis Owusu Akyaw, whom I fired for unsatisfactory conduct sponsored the video recording of the documentary.”
He added “the government cannot NDC to continue to mislead and court negative emotions of the people against it, in this galamsey fight. The NPP government under President Akufo Addo has demonstrated commitment to dealing with the crisis, however, there have been some shortcomings resulting from the negligence and self-centeredness of persons entrusted with the duty of sustaining the effort in eradicating illegal mining.
It’s about time we revisit the recommendations of the IMCIM, and operationalize all
infrastructure that has been left dormant. We can win this fight!”
