Abuakwa South NPP Executives Deny Claims of Galamsey in President Akufo-Addo’s Kyebi Garden
Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Abuakwa South constituency have denied allegations in the controversial report authored by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), that illegal mining was taking place in a garden in President Akufo-Addo’s Kyebi residence.
The constituency communications officer of the party, Felix Nyarko Acheampong, and Julius Okyere, Abuakwa South Constituency Secretary, issued a statement on Tuesday, refuting the claims made in the report. They explained that no anonymous Youth Organiser of the NPP in Kyebi had engaged in illegal mining in an area close to the president’s house.
The statement read, “The then Constituency Youth Organizer has never been associated whatsoever with galamsey operation; hence, rendering this allegation short of substance.”
The executives also clarified that the President’s Kyebi residence is closely surrounded by other houses, making it impossible for any illegal mining operation to take place even close to it. Additionally, they noted that the President does not have a garden in his Kyebi residence, contrary to the report’s claim that a section of his garden was affected by illegal mining activities.
“In a nutshell, the allegations contained in that section of Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s report are nothing but palpable falsehoods. We entreat well-meaning media houses to come to the President’s residence in Kyebi to check and double-check the facts on the ground,” the statement continued.
The statement also called into question the credibility of the former Minister and his work as the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining.
This statement by the NPP executives refuting the allegations of illegal mining in the President’s Kyebi garden highlights the need for accurate reporting and responsible journalism in Ghana. Falsehoods and misleading information can have damaging effects on individuals and institutions, and it is essential for media houses to fact-check their sources before publishing potentially defamatory claims.
Below is the full press statement
