The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has rubbished media reports suggesting that the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), in its latest report accused the Okyenhene of engaging in illegal mining in Kibi.
Media reports according to the Ministry, did not only suggest that the BNI’s report cited Okyenhene’s complicity in the menace, but also alleged that members of an anti-illegal mining task-force purportedly linked to the Okyenhene’s Palace, “allegedly extort monies from illegal miners in the area.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”9C0ego4toBz6VQorqfuzJT3gfKjOHuyB”]But the Ministry in a statement clarified that “checks by this Ministry indicate that, the last known environmental protection task-force from the Palace was disbanded over three years ago.”
According to the Ministry, the said BNI report only “recorded a said perception against the Okyenhene’s Palace. It did not accuse the Okyenhene or the Palace of being complicit in illegal mining activities.”
“To the best of this Ministry ‘s knowledge, the Okyenhene’s Foundation has rather been at the forefront of the fight against illegal mining and the Ministry will continue to urge the Okyenhene, his Foundation and other traditional authorities to continue supporting this necessary fight to save the environment,” the Ministry added.
I don’t condone galamsey – Okyenhene replies critics
This statement comes days after the Okyenhene denied condoning Galamsey.
The Okyenhene has been criticized for looking unconcerned while illegal miners destroy water bodies and lands within the Akyem Abuakwa state, but in an exclusive interview with host of the Citi Breakfast Show, Bernard Avle , Ofori Panin said his critics were either ignorant or mischievous.
“It’s either people are ignorant, or they have small minds, evil, mischievous, or playing or they are stupid to think that I will be involved in this [galamsey]. I grew up in Akwaita, I saw the destruction there after I came back from overseas. I saw the destruction in Tarkwa and Bogosu, I had been around this country, there is no town that we can represent and say that there was gold here and that town had benefited.
“So why anybody with my education and my reputation get down and tolerate this. When you see good people and they are honest and they go out and do their own things, it is different things from people obeying you and seeing your authority and going underneath to do something else,” he said.
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By:Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah