Dr. Rashid Pelpuo calls on Parliament to investigate Galamsey Report by Prof. Frimpomg Boateng
The Ranking Member of the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament, and MP for Wa Central Constituency Dr. Rashid Hassan Pelpuo has called on Parliament to set up Bi-Partisan Committee to probe illegal mining activities of top government officials alleged in a report by Prof. Frimpong Boateng.
At a Press Conference held at the Grand Hayat Hotel in Wa on Wednesday, April 25th, the MP also called on the Government to constitute a commission of inquiry to look into the report.
Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, however, urged the President to desist from interfering with the work of anybody constituted to investigate issues related to the report.
“Ladies and gentlemen we call for the public through appropriate civil society groups to demonstrate an interest in this matter. It is the worst we have ever seen in which the watchman has become the thief himself. It has become truly difficult to call on the same suspects to set up any investigative body to look more deeply and more closely into this matter. Despite this, we want to assure the people of this government of our commitment handlingdle this profound illegal involvement by some state officials to the best of our ability. We will request the involvement of Parliament in setting up a by-partisan investigative ad-hoc committee on this matter.”
“But beyond this, we urge the government to set up a commission of inquiry to go into the matter thoroughly. We also urge the president to desist from his normal interference in issuing statements to clear his functionaries of wrongdoing doings when they are caught pants down in certain illegal practices”- Dr. Rashid Pelpuo
The 37-page report by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, which was authored in March 2021, accused government employees and some top officials at the Presidency of engaging in illegal mining and frustrating his fight against the menace as the former chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal Mining (IMCIM).
By: Adil Fuseini
