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Last week, news broke out about the alleged involvement of Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako and Lawyer Owusu Afriyie in illegal mining.

Chiefs at Jacobu in the Amansie central district of the Ashanti region, were reported to have left the Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Kofi Dzamesi and his delegation in shock when they fingered the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling NPP and the acting CEO of Forestry Commission as persons engaging in illegal mining despite the ban.

The angry chiefs were further reported to have said the Chief Executive Officer of Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has betrayed his country on his job as the commissioner and went on to state that “Sir John and the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka chairman Wontumi have become the bad nuts in the current government, sabotaging the country’s quest for development in its fight against illegal mining."

As it stands, the allegations by the chiefs according to Andy Owusu, an aide to Chairman Wontumi, has dented the reputation of these two fine gentlemen considered in our modern day society as highly influential.  

In a statement issued by Mr. Owusu, he stated that “I ordinarily and naturally do not meddle in chieftaincy issues as I have the strongest of respect for them. Again, with the President's resolve to end illegal mining (Galamsey), and for it to succeed, my active involvement in crusading against this menace is vital in eradicating galamsey. “

Andy Owusu however proceeded to state that  it is so sad to note that some of the chiefs from Jacobu, “could stoop so low and allow elements within the opposition NDC to push some of them in making such an unfounded allegations against these personalities. “

”What makes it laughable is the fact that despite the rant to discredit Sir John and Wontumi, the chiefs woefully failed to give evidence to back their claims”, he added.  

Bitter about the development, Andy Owusu indciated that the stance and rant of the chiefs could have been influenced “some haters, especially from the camp of the National Democratic Congress; specifically, Brogya Genfi, has had a hand in pushing this agenda.”

He hinted that Chairman Wontumi and Sir John were never worried about efforts by those faceless “cowards hiding behind these chiefs to damage their reputation”.

He therefore advised the chiefs and the NDC not to mock the achievements of President Akufo-Addo since his administration placed a ban on illegal mining.

Andy Owusu noted that Chairman Wontumi and Sir John won’t allow such destructions to blind them and would continue to support the president  on his initiative to introduce clean mining in Ghana.

He ended by advising the “chiefs to be themselves, and speak the truth while resisting any move to allow themselves to be used by others”.