The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has reacted to a leaked video on 'galamsey' circulating on social media.
In the video, Horace Ekow Ewusi, the NPP former Vice Chairman of the Agona West Constituency, is heard discussing with Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, how they can engage with some party folks on some mining concessions in order to raise money from the activity to support the party.
Ekow Ewusi, allegedly said he went to the Minister’s office with John Boadu with a request to mining so that the proceeds would be used to support the NPP.
Speaking in an interview on Neat FM's 'Me Man Nti' programme, John Boadu confirmed the meeting but denied receiving any money or engaging in 'galamsey'.
" . . So I went to Frimpong-Boateng and Ekow Ewusi that day was around so we discussed in the open about what we can do, and Ekow was suggesting that Wontumi (Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP) has a large scale concession that we can send some of our boys there to work, that was the end of the discussion . . . as to whether they went to do it or not we've never concluded on that discussion we started," he explained.
He continued that no one brought any money to him that it was the share of the discussions held.
"Not one cedi," he added.
According to him, the discussion centred on community mining.
But he confirmed that most of his party constituency executives; from Amenfi, Tarkwa, Prestea, Akwatia and other mining areas all survive on small scale mining which is legal.