The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, has vehemently debunked reports that he has ventured into illegal mining.

The popular politician emphatically denied the reports and entreated the public to disregard them.

“I am a forthright person so there is no way that I would stoop low by engaging in illegal mining to destroy the environment, according to him.

The CEO of the Forestry Commission, who is popularly known as ‘Sir John,’ said his outfit has the mandate to protect the forest.

He stated that it would be wrong on his part to ignore his core mandate and engage in illegal mining activities.

“My office don’t have the power or the right to issue licence or give permit to anybody to mine for gold anywhere in the country so take note,” he said.

Sir John said some residents of Koboro in the Amansie Central District in the Ashanti Region had labeled him an illegal miner, which is total false.

He explained that the Forestry Commission has engaged a certain company to cover ‘galamsey’ pits in the Apamprama Forest at Koboro.

According to him, the move is geared towards reclaiming the land to protect the forest and also prevent people from falling into mining pits.

Sir John said, “Sadly, because the company is using excavators to cover the dangerous pits, the people of Koboro misconstrued the exercise to be illegal mining.”

Addressing the chiefs and people of Koboro during a community durbar, the Forestry Commission CEO said those spreading the rumours ought to stop.

He insisted that the Forestry Commission, under his leadership, would not allow anybody to mine gold or rampantly cut trees in the forest.

Sir John also warned the people of Koboro not to interfere in the work of the company that has been hired to cover the dangerous pits.