The General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has hinted that government will in the coming days dissolve the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
According to the NPP scribe, this has become necessary following the successful completion of the committee’s mandate.
The announcement comes at a time when the Chairman of the Committee who doubles as the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng had been under pressure over the shocking disappearance of excavators and other equipment seized from some illegal miners in the country.
Cabinet has already considered such decision
In an interview on Asempa FM, Mr. Boadu disclosed that Cabinet has already considered the decision that will see the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources assume its former role and coordinate the activities of small scale miners in the country.
“The last time Cabinet met, they realized that the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining is almost done with its work. We expect the government to announce the end of the role and handover to the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry. It is something that has been discussed and it will be done soon. The committee will be dissolved soon,” he said.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining was constituted to oversee the implementation of the ban on all forms of small scale mining and also see to the vetting of small scale miners.
It was commissioned in March 2017 by President Nana Akufo-Addo to reform artisanal and small-scale mining in the country.
Composition of IMCIM
The committee is made up of Ministers of the following ministries; Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs, Regional Re-Organisation and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Water and Sanitation, Interior, Defense and Information.
The Secretariat was hit by alleged bribery and corruption scandal in the Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ exposé on illegal mining that led to the resignation of the Secretary of IMCIM, Charles Bissue.
Charles Bissue stepped down from the position after he was seen in the video documentary allegedly collecting bribes to facilitate the issuance of mining licences.
Although he has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the police, he is still being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Missing excavators and arrest
The Chairman of IMCIM who doubles as the Minister of Environment Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng recently disclosed that most of the excavators that were seized from illegal miners had vanished.
He subsequently petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the suspended First Vice Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party, Horace Ekow Ewusi over his alleged involvement in the missing earth-moving equipment.
Ekow Ewusi was contracted by the government to cart excavators and other vehicles and pieces of equipment seized by Operation Vanguard to designated areas for safekeeping.
So far, six persons arrested over the disappearance of the missing equipment have been granted bail.
The six, including Ekow Ewusi, have been cautioned with the offence of stealing and abetment to stealing.
John Boadu linked to missing excavators saga
Horace Ekow Ewusi who has become the centre of the controversial issue of the missing equipment has been captured in a viral video allegedly claiming that he together with Mr. John Boadu were tasked by the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, to use the seized excavators to mine in various concessions.
The money raised from these activities, Mr. Ewusi alleged would help fund the political activities of the NPP.
I have no hand in disappearance of the excavators – John Boadu
But John Boadu has denied allegations linking him to the disappearance of the excavators.
Responding to the claims on ‘Ekosii sen’ on Asempa FM, Mr. Boadu distanced himself from the claim, insisting that although he met the two officials regarding a community mining project, he has never received money from anyone or engaged in any illegal deal.
“The Environment Minister invited me for a meeting. It was at that meeting that I went to meet Ekow Ewusi. I even suggested to him we can use some of the young boys in the area we have trained for community mining. There, Ekow Ewusi mentioned that Chairman Wontumi has a large scale mining concession so we should engage him so he gives us portions of his land for the community mining. That was what he (Ewusi) said.”
“So I said if the Inter-ministerial Committee trained people to properly do small scale mining after the ban, it will only be right to offer them jobs afterwards through community mining. I did not even have any discussion with him again after that engagement. So nothing in the video shows that I received something from anyone. He can’t say that. Never did I receive a penny from anyone,” said John Boadu.
