MoI Denies President Involvement In Galamsey
The Ministry of Information has debunked a report that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is “actively involved” in illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, in the country.
In a press statement, the Deputy Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar said the allegation soils the character of the President and his commitment to fighting against illegal mining in the country.
While hosting the morning show on Onua TV on Monday, Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as Captain Smart alleged that the president was “actively involved” in the menace and described his supposed fight against it as “mere rhetorics”.
“Nana Addo is actively involved in galamsey so he can never ever stop galamsey. Your president, my president, our president is actively involved in galamsey so he can never ever stop galamsey. All these things are nothing but mere rhetorics and I will prove that to you”, he said decrying the President’s inability to call to order the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako over his alleged involvement in the act.
According to him, the fact that the president had the guts to take along Chairman Wontumi during his courtesy call at the Manhyia Palace is enough proof that he is also a culprit.
“If Nana Addo is not actively involved, why was Wontumi following him?… The president is actively involved in galamsey because he is right in the pocket of the Ghanaian galamsey kingpin, Chairman Wontumi”, he said.
Watch Video Here: https://fb.watch/geekzxowxN/
This has been rubbished by the government as “unethical and irresponsible” journalism on the part of Captain Smart.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has never been or is not involved in galamsey. The content propagated in the video is false, malicious and without basis. It is nothing but an act of unethical and irresponsible journalism.
“The video is intended to court disaffection for government and undermine efforts to fight illegal mining in the country. The government’s commitment to fight illegal mining is unwavering”, she said in the press release.
She disclosed that the government has decided to refer Captain Smart, Onua TV and Media General to the National Media Commission (NMC).
The government is also looking at its options to seek redress over the publication against the three.
“The government is concerned about misinformation and disinformation clothed under the pretext of journalistic discretions and free expression. This does not bode well with our democracy”, she added.
She also advised Media General, the mother company of broadcast media including TV3, to maintain its high standards in “validating information, ethical practice and avoid conjecture in the presentation of facts”.
Media General and some of its staff have been recently hit by a series of lawsuits by government officials.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
