The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as chairman Wontumi and Chief Executive Officer of the of the Forestry Commission are actively involved in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).
According to the chiefs at Jacobu in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region, Sir John and chairman Wontumi have become the bad nuts in the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The chiefs made this known in a meeting with the Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Kofi Dzamesi last week.
In 2017, the Land and Natural Resources Ministry announced a freeze on mining and on issuing of the mining license.
The directives given to illegal miners to stop mining activities by John Peter Amewu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, received mixed reactions from illegal miners, residents of communities affected by activities of miners and the public.
The chiefs of Amansie Central District speaking on the development have called on the President to fight his own appointees and party members who are engaged in galamsey.
The chiefs also alleged that, the CEO of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has given out a concession of the Aprampram Forest Reserve to Chinese for mining in the pretense of reclamation.
Spokesperson of the chiefs said “Sir John and the Ashanti Regional Chairman sent about 30 excavators into the forest with the protection of military men.
“As the chief of my community, I didn’t know anything about that. All we hear was that they were coming to reclaim the land. But not too long just about two weeks, they [Sir John and Wontumi] began illegal mining activities.”