The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has said that whoever is found to have solicited monies or taken bribes to bend rules of mining will face the law.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, he said , “Government will have the said tapes properly investigated using the raw unedited footage.”
“If any persons are found to have solicited monies or taken bribes to bend rules the necessary action will be taken,” he added.
Background
Government in its quest to resolve illegal mining deployed security men to three regions considered to be the most affected areas.
Dubbed “Operation Vanguard”, the 400 security men made up of personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Police Service were divided into three groups to cover the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions.
Government also instituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) to implement the two-year road map.
But, a documentary by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw has revealed that government officials and security personnel who were tasked to put an end to the menace rather encouraged more people to engage in the act.
In the video some officials were seen receiving various sums of money in order facilitate the process and provide security protection for illegal mining companies.
In the secret filming the executive Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Mr. Charles Cromwell Bissiw, was seen receiving GH¢35,000 to fast-track the processes in renewing the mining license for one ORR Resources Enterprise.
Meanwhile, Kojo Oppong has also remarked that government will welcome any efforts aimed at assisting government succeed in its fight against illegal small scale mining.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
