I never said Ghanaians should provide evidence that Wontumi does galamsey - Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II

The President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II, has denied media publications that he said that persons who have accused Bernard Antwi Boasiako of illegal mining to provide evidence.

Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II was reported to have dared Ghanaians to make available evidence that proves that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP),

Read full articleBernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a Chairman Wontumi, is involved in illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

In his view, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo can only act when there's sufficient evidence that his appointees are involved in illegal mining activities.

"I have heard that Wontumi is doing galamsey. Whether it is true or not, I don't know and I don't have any evidence, so how do I tell the president about Wontumi in such a forum or expect me to speak about an issue on national television when I don't have any facts or direct evidence on Wontumi's activities?

“So, if you have the evidence or anyone has evidence that Wontumi is into galamsey, make it available to the president and he will act on it," he told Morning Show host of Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Kwesi Parker-Wilson.

Reacting to this, the Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II said that he mentioned Wontum’s name when he made the said statement.

He added that those saying he made the statement should provide proof of him making it, 3news.com reports.

“After my statement, the press went out…on His Excellency’s statement with [the Chiefs]. The [President] said ‘every village has a chief, and then he, as a lawyer will want to have hard facts to add on.

"I even suggested that your Excellency, sometimes some of these rumours should be investigated, that was indoors. At no point did anybody including me mentioned Antwi Boasiako or Wontum’s name at the meeting. So, if anybody has any evidence, my voice anywhere that person come out with it .

“I remember one of the members raised the issue of Akonta Mines in Samriboe Forest and I intervened to say that yes, I was aware the paramount chief in the area had wanted to send a team there but he had a call somewhere and so had to stop them.

"Even at that point, I didn’t know the owners of Akonta Mining but what I said is that, people go under the guise of prospecting license to do mining, and so we were pleading with his excellency just as he is also pleading to [Chiefs], we will also plead with him to also involve his MMDCEs and politicians so that all of us will fight the menace of galamsey.

“Because we are the custodians of the lands and all these forest reserves were given to Forestry Commission to manage for us.

"Again, I made the point the regulatory framework of mining, [the Chiefs] are not part of it and so we were demanding that at least the small scale mining licenses regime should be handled at the MDAs offices instead of we getting from Accra. This is what went on other chiefs also gave their dimensions.”

IB/