Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has embarked on a self-seeking agenda to kill a legitimate large-scale mining company just to settle personal scores.

The Minister, also the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Illegal Mining, on December 6, 2018 ordered for the concession of Heritage Imperial Company Ltd, located in the Kobro Forest (Apraprama), in the Ashanti Region to be raided and properties seized. This action had the active support of the secretary of the IMCIM, Mr Charles Bissue, a presidential staffer and some boys known to be associated with the Minister.

The raid; carried out by the IMCIM Taskforce and made away with 40 excavators, 7 Toyota Hilux pick-up vehicles, excavator spare parts and diesel worth over 20million US Dollars, was executed without the knowledge of Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as well as Forestry Commission.
This was after the Minister, who deliberately labelled the legitimate large-scale mining company as a small-scale mining company operating illegally.

He consciously ignored facts in the documents he was furnished with from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission among others which legitimises the operations of Heritage Imperial Company Ltd and grants the company the status of a legitimate large-scale mining company.
The Management of the mining company has, however, decided to seek redress in court after a number of fruitless effort to have the Minister or any of his members to deliberate on the status and operations of the company on any platform.

The company arrived at this decision when it discovered that several of the mining equipment seized by the inter-ministerial taskforce are being sold out (auctioned) secretly at very cheap cost to close business partners, friends and families without approval by the government or the court. The proceeds from the sales, according to the company, are shared among themselves, the Environment Minister and his cohorts.

Some of these equipment which have been already been sold out have been tracked and found in Tamale, the Northern Region of Ghana and other parts of the country.

This newspaper had been informed that some Ministers and top government officials who are familiar with the development have expressed deep worry and cautioned Prof Frimpong Boateng of possible judgement debt to be incurred by government which will embarrass the Akuffo-Addo led government.

These Ministers and top government officials wonder why the Inter-Ministerial Committee will rather chase legitimate business entities while illegal companies are allowed to operate without any attacking.

The company also noted that it will publish names of certain powerful officials within government who are behind this cynical agenda to destroy their company.

The Directors of the mining firm have also hinted that they would expose some corrupt practices perpetuated by some government appointees in the mining sector in the blind side of the appointing authorities.
When Prof Frimpong Boateng was reached for a comment he could not answer his phone. Text messengers were sent to him to respond to the allegation but as at press time he still had not responded.