Tiger Eye PI releases latest documentary on ‘Galamsey fraud’ - Govt to act appropriately

Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his Tiger Eye PI have released their latest investigative work christened ‘Galamsey fraud’.

Part one of the documentary, which was premiered on some television networks in the country last Wednesday evening, uncovered alleged fraud perpetrated by some members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee against illegal mining.

The 27-minute documentary was the first part of a detailed work by Tiger PI. The undercover investigative team has promised to release a continuation of the documentary at a later date.

It has also decided to make copies of the tape available to the Special Prosecutor for possible prosecution.

Documentary

The documentary showed some members of the committee allegedly taking bribe from the undercover investigators to influence galamsey operations to derail the efforts of the government to fight the canker in the country.

A Presidential Staffer and Secretary to the committee, Mr Charles Cromwell Bissue, was among those caught by the lenses of the investigators.

Reaction

Reacting to the development at a press conference in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the government would welcome any effort at supporting it to fight illegal mining in the country.

Consequently, he said, it would take a look at the latest investigative piece by Tiger Eye PI and act appropriately.

Stressing the importance the government attached to the fight against galamsey, the minister said the video tapes would be “properly investigated, using the raw unedited footages”.

“If any persons are found to have solicited money or taken bribe to bend the rules, the necessary action will be taken,” he stressed.

According to him, the government would not shield any one found culpable in the galamsey fight.

Security

Touching on the security of the state, Mr Nkrumah said the government would continue to resource and assist the security agencies to forestall any conspiracy to commit crime or acts that would create a state of insecurity in Ghana.

“The capacity and determination of the state to maintain peace and security and protect Ghana’s enviable image remains unchanged.

The government will continue to act in accordance with law and best practices in preserving the security and the sense of security and will deal resolutely with any persons found culpable in an effort to undermine the sense of security in the state,” he added.

Background

Following the ban placed on small-scale mining in the country in 2017, President Akufo-Addo constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining to, among other things, vet all registered artisanal and small-scale miners across the country in a bid to regularise their future activities before the committee makes recommendations to the President to lift the ban on mining.

The committee, chaired by the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, unveiled a road map towards the lifting of the ban on small-scale mining and followed it to the letter.

The ban on small-scale mining was later lifted in 2018.

But the investigative piece by Tiger Eye PI has raised questions about the credibility of some members of the committee because some of them were seen allegedly accepting bribe in the documentary footage.