The remarks made by Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), regarding his legal opinion on the report by former Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) chairman Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng on illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey), have been criticized by Attorney-General Godfred Dame as being false, meaningless, and offensive.
Sammy Gyamfi had accused Mr. Dame of taking part in a nefarious plot to protect government officials who were allegedly involved in Galamsey.
Recall that the Attorney-General’s advise on the “galamsey” report stated that “we are unable to recommend the prosecution of any of the persons cited in the Report due to the lack of any evidence on the docket supporting any of the allegations of illegal mining activities.” Therefore, they ought to be released. However, we are awaiting the findings of the inquiries into the incident involving Seth Mantey, John Ofori Atta, and Ekow Ewusi.
However, when addressing the NDC’s ‘Moment of Truth’ press briefing in Accra on Monday, October 16, Sammy Gyamfi made the following statements: “After conducting a thorough analysis of the Attorney-General’s legal opinion, we have reached an undeniable conclusion that this advice is a feeble attempt to conceal the involvement of officials from the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and the ruling NPP in the illicit Galamsey trade.
To be clear, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame’s assertions that there’s no evidence supporting the damning revelations found in the 36-page Frimpong Boateng Galamsey report are unequivocally untrue. The Attorney-General’s recent actions, or perhaps missteps, regarding this pivotal and scathing Galamsey report, are part of a coordinated effort to whitewash the actions of many government officials since this issue was first exposed.”
In response to Sammy Gyamfi’s statements, the Attorney-General stated, “The CID compiled a docket based on the Frimpong-Boateng report, which was submitted to the Attorney-General’s Office for review. This docket focused on specific allegations made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng against particular individuals. It was not an investigation into the broader Galamsey issues in the country, as the NDC falsely attempted to portray. Consequently, the conclusions drawn by the knowledgeable Chief State Attorney pertain solely to these specific allegations. Prosecutions for Galamsey offenses, including those committed in forest reserves and water bodies nationwide, are ongoing.
Despite numerous allegations and criticisms leveled against me by the NDC’s Communications Officer, the NDC failed to provide any supporting evidence for Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s allegations against the individuals named in his report. In fact, the entirety of the NDC’s press conference was tainted by an attempt to justify their fabricated claims and attacks against me.
The following individuals were mentioned by Frimpong-Boateng as having involvement in illegal mining, while others were alleged to be engaged in the sale of excavators. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and Kwaku Baako Jnr. were accused of indirectly hindering the Professor in his work.”
At the conclusion of the NDC’s press conference, the Attorney-General added, “Not a single piece of evidence was presented by the NDC against any of the individuals named above. The baseless accusation that I am trying to conceal crimes allegedly committed by them is, therefore, confusing, questionable, and misleading, to say the least. I consider the NDC’s press conference as just another in a series of attacks on me for decisions made in the regular execution of my duties as Attorney-General, decisions that the political party deems contrary to its interests.”
Source: Ghana360news.com
