Minister reacts to GH¢17m galamsey cash innuendo

The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has reacted to an innuendo suggesting that a regional minister has collapsed after his driver reportedly bolted with his GH¢17million cash being proceeds from illegal mining (galamsey).

In a statement dated October 19, 2022, signed and issued by Mr Darko-Mensah who is also the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, he said the innuendo had been linked to him.

Consequently, he indicated his readiness to take "appropriate remedial steps under advisement" from his lawyers.

The innuendo, put out by a media house as a news alert and shared on social media did not mention the name of the said minister but indicated there will be a follow up.

Mr Darko-Mensah in the statement said the innuendo had been linked to him and that, "this news alert appears to cast an innuendo on my person.

"It is therefore not strange that for those who are still bent on tarnishing my hard-won reputation and to distract me from my official duties in service to the people of my region including my unrelenting fight against illegal mining, they have jumped onto the news to further their sinister objectives."

"Please be advised that I am well and fit and carrying about my duties in good health and great spirits. I am completely unfazed by these attempts to derail my work. All well-meaning Ghanaians are therefore advised to disregard the said news alert and treat it with the contempt it deserves," he added.

The said news alert had indicated that a a regional minister had collapsed after his driver was reported to have bolted with GH¢17million being proceeds from galamsey.

Below is a copy of the minister's reaction