The Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Mr Charles Bissue has stepped aside for investigations to be conducted into bribery allegations levelled against him by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI group in their latest undercover work titled Galamsey Fraud.

Mr Bissue was captured on camera issuing orders to his subordinates to give a pass to an undeserving mining firm after having been compromised with GHS35,000.

He denies the allegations against him but said in a statement, a day after the premiering of the 14-day investigative piece that: “In the interest of transparency and accountability, and so as not to compromise the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), I have informed the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Chairperson of the IMCIM, of my decision to step aside from my position as Secretary to the Committee, pending an investigation into the allegations”.

Read Mr Bissue’s full statement below:

DECISION TO STEP ASIDE AS SECRETARY TO THE INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON ILLEGAL MINING (IMCIM)

I have taken notice of the contents of the latest documentary by Tiger Eye P.I., titled “Galamsey Fraud”.

I would like to state, at the very outset, that I am innocent of the allegations levelled against me in the documentary, as I was not and have not been engaged in any acts of corruption, criminality or misconduct.

However, in the interest of transparency and accountability, and so as not to compromise the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), I have informed the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof.
Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Chairperson of the IMCIM, of my decision to step aside from my position as Secretary to the Committee, pending an investigation into the allegations.

I call for such an investigation, and I am prepared to avail myself, at all times, to the investigation process.

I am confident that, at the end of it all, I will be exonerated, and my good name will be preserved.