Cape coast: The NPP's 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for Cape Coast North, Ekow Awusi, has leveled serious allegations against former Minister of Environment, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng. Awusi claims that the former minister wrote a "fake" anti-galamsey report with the intention of discrediting the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Akufo-Addo government.
According to Ghana Web, Professor Frimpong-Boateng, who is facing potential dismissal from the NPP for labeling the party as 'fake,' authored a report criticizing the Akufo-Addo government's efforts in combating illegal mining, also known as galamsey. Awusi contends that this report was used by opposition parties as a tool against the NPP in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.
The accusations were highlighted during an appearance on Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana, where Professor Frimpong-Boateng discussed issues related to missing excavators involved in the anti-galamsey efforts. During the discussion, he accused Ekow Awusi, his former subordinate, of selling some of the excavators. In response, Awusi, who served as Director of Operations of GalamStop, an inter-ministerial anti-galamsey task force, accused Frimpong-Boateng of pretending to be an anti-galamsey crusader while facilitating illegal mining activities.
Awusi further alleged that Frimpong-Boateng failed to disclose seized gold and released confiscated excavators that belonged to his relative. In a viral video, Awusi confronted Frimpong-Boateng, accusing him of fabricating the report out of bitterness towards the party. Awusi stated that none of the reports he submitted as a field officer were included in the minister's final report.
Challenging Frimpong-Boateng to sue him if the allegations were false, Awusi revealed that seized gold was handed over to the former minister, questioning its whereabouts. He also alleged that Frimpong-Boateng released confiscated excavators linked to his son, claiming that the former minister's family benefited from galamsey activities.
Awusi expressed his frustration, asserting that despite the party's efforts to combat galamsey, Frimpong-Boateng's actions were undermining these initiatives. Awusi indicated that some members of the ministry had remained silent about the issue for the sake of the party.