Arrest Sir John and Chairman Wontumi – Small scale miners tell Nana Addo

Members of Small-scale Miners Association have asked the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to arrest the CEO for Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie popularly called Sir John and Bernard Antwi Boasiako also called Chairman Wontumi over allegations that they are into illegal mining.

Small-scale mining has been ban in Ghana for the past one year to help fight illegal mining in the country, however, there has been numerous reports that the illegal mining is still ongoing and the recent arrest of some Chinese illegal miners confirmed the report.

In an interview on Angel FM, the leader of Concerned Small Scale Miners, Michael Kwadwo Peprah stated that “if the President says he is a father for all, he must arrest Sir John and Chairman Wontumi”.
Also, he asked the President to dissolve the committee head by Prof Frimpong Boateng which has been tasked with the duty to fight galamsey as the country is wasting its money on them.
“But he should form an independent body to investigate illegal mining in the country”.

According to him, Sir John has allowed some Chinese illegal miners to mine and destroy out forest reserves.
“Are we fighting galamsey?”
He went on to reveal that some Chinese illegal miners were arrested at Atwima Nwabiagya not long ago, however, “an order from above came that their machines should be kept and now they are using them to do mining”.

The allegations against Chairman Wontumi and Sir John were made last week Friday when a Chief at Kokofu told the Minister for Chieftaincy about their illegal mining activities.

The leader of the Concern Small Scale Miners Union of Ghana believes some government officials are the ones behind the illegal mining activities in the country.