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Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has confirmed receiving an invitation letter from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) asking him to assist in the investigation into the activities of the now-dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
In a short statement on Wednesday, May 4, he said: “Earlier today, I received a letter from the Office of the Special Prosecutor inviting me to assist the Office as a person necessary for the investigation into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of the activities and expenditure of the dissolved the International Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining.
“I have formally communicated my willingness to attend the invitation and support the OSP in the work.”
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng earlier assured the public and civil society that all persons found culpable in the report on the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) will have “necessary action” taken against them.
The OSP on Tuesday, May 2 broke silence on the report authored on Friday, March 19, 2021, by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, who chaired the Committee.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng cited government officials for complicity in the mass degradation of the country’s forest cover through illegal mining.
Among those he cited in his report was the deceased Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Osei Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, who was said to have owned a Chinese gang mining in forest reserves.
Calls were made for the Special Prosecutor to initiate investigations, especially on the persons including current government officials cited in the report.
“The OSP welcomes the calls for action and investigations and it assures the public and civil society that its investigation is ongoing and far-reaching and it also covers the matters raised in the report published by the head of the dissolved IMCIM,” Mr Agyebeng stated in a press release to give an update on illegal mining cases his office is pursuing.
“The OSP will take necessary action against all persons deemed culpable of corruption and corruption-related offences in the mining sector.”
He referred to an October 2022 press release, which announced the Office’s initial steps to probe suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in the illegal mining sector.
It, therefore, acknowledged the calls for action made on the matter following the publication of the Frimpong-Boateng report.
By 3News.com
