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Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe says the ongoing investigations into the missing excavators can only be effective when the Minister who doubles as the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Professor Frimpong Boateng steps aside.

A few weeks ago, reports emerged that about 500 excavators have gone missing after they were seized by the Operation Vanguard team (an operational team made up of various security personnel purposely set up to clamp down on illegal mining).

Prof Frimpong-Boateng, the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), who announced that the excavators had vanished subsequently issued a letter directing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest and interrogate Ekow Ewusi after learning that he reportedly sold some of the confiscated items from illegal miners.

Subsequently, a video making the rounds on social media indicates how the Committee reportedly can engage with some party folks on some mining concessions in order to raise money from the illegal activities to support the party.

But according to Edudzi, Professor Boateng’s continued stay in office will not ensure proper investigation to take place as the Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Taskforce against galamsey knew the happenings with regards to illegal mining [galamsey].

“If it will be possible, we can make Professor Frimpong Boateng step aside for proper investigation to take place. You know he is the chairman of the Inter-ministerial taskforce on galamsey”, he suggested.

He maintained that per the leaked video circulating on the various social media platforms, it clearly shows that the Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology is aware of the happenings in galamsey as the meeting took place in his office.

He asserted that the NPP gurus decided to sell the excavators due to the fact that the owners of the excavators will not follow up for their excavators for fear that they will be arrested and prosecuted for up to 15 years.

“…they sell the excavators at very ridiculous prices. The minister who doubles as the chairman of the task force, saw all these activities going on and for the first time, excavators have metamorphous to perfumes which can vanish into thin air”, he asserted.

He said that Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has no moral authority to supervise that investigation, looking at the magnitude of the case; insisting it is only fair and proper that the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining steps aside for investigation to place.