The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has quickly and strongly rejected recent assertions made by respected North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, which linked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s daughters to illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
On Saturday (which usually is not common), September 28, 2024 the ministry sought to draw a clear distinction between the president’s family and Elite Minerals Company Limited, a mining firm that has come under scrutiny. The ministry noted that while Elite Minerals was established in 2008, it was awarded a mining lease in the Kwaebibirem Municipality during the Mahama administration in 2012.
“The attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been drawn to certain comments by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleging that the daughters of the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, are either associated with a certain company and/or involved in illegal mining,” the statement read.
The ministry firmly stated that these allegations are “palpably false and without merit whatsoever,” asserting that no member of the president’s family is involved in illegal mining activities.
In its statement, the Ministry reiterated its commitment to combat illegal mining and warned against politicizing the issue. It cautioned that failing to approach the conversation around illegal mining from a nationalistic perspective could have detrimental consequences for the country in the future.
“While the Ministry welcomes public interest in the fight against illegal mining, we implore the Hon. Member and the general public to be factual in their comments. The Ministry wishes to assure the people of Ghana of its unwavering commitment to the fight against illegal mining, and doing so with the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and candour, in the public interest,” the statement concluded.
