Sir John, Wontumi neck-deep in galamsey – Minority

Some leading members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been accused of indulging in illegal small-scale mining popularly known as galamsey despite a ban by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

According to the Ranking Member of Parliament's Mines and Energy Committee, Adam Mutawakilu, incontrovertible evidence available to the Minority indicates that the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John and the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Bosiako, aka Chairman Wontumi, are involved in some galamsey activities.

Addressing the press in Accra on Tuesday, 24 July 2018, Mr Mutawakilu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Damongo, further accused the president of shielding these people and other NPP members who are neck-deep in illegal mining.

He said: “The Minister [of Lands and Forestry] said until the water bodies are clean, they cannot lift the ban. The chief of Jacobu came out clearly that the CEO of Forestry Commission and Wontumi, that is the chairman of NPP in Ashanti Region are engaged in galamsey, and let me say frankly, it’s a big fact and it’s a slap on the face of the president.

“I believe the president is probably doing a cover-up for these people because the information we the Minority have is that the CEO of Forestry Commission uses his office to put sign posts that certain areas are marked for reclamation but in actual fact there is serious galamsey going on in there.

“This is just to let the military know those places and that is one of them that happened at Jacobu. So, we the Minority are putting it on record that Mr President, you are shielding your appointees dealing in galamsey, sit up, investigate and work.

“All forestry areas that are marked as reclamation zone should be properly investigated and I want to urge Operation Vanguard, irrespective of these threats from them, go ahead, arrest them because mother Ghana is supreme, we are not fighting galamsey by mouth but by action.”