When the movie industry took a nosedive seven years ago, Ras Nene, also known as Dr. Likee decided to channel his energy and resources into illegal mining, known in the local parlance as ‘galamsey’, the actor has said.

In his interview on The Delay Show aired on January 15, 2023, the Kumawood star recalled how he invested an initial amount of GH¢70,000 and later requested a loan from a friend.

According to him, after investing GH¢70,000 in the business, he made GH¢40,000 on his first attempt, a development that encouraged him to invest more.

“I had sites and equipment. One of my sites was around Bole Bamboi, a town called Sapa. I had another on a Gonjaland. This was seven years ago,” said the actor who was able to build a house for his mother through acting.

“I invested GH¢70,000 (seven hundred million old Ghana cedi). I raked GH¢40,000 on my first attempt and so I was convinced it was worth it. After making that GH¢40,000 amount, things went down. I was eager to break even. A man I worked with advised me to seek spiritual assistance but I ignored him. He went spiritual and was able to succeed while I wallowed in distress,” Ras Nene said in the Twi language.

He recalled how he rescinded his decision to leave the site after discovering another site that had potential. Instead of calling it quits, he rather asked a friend for a loan to invest but his dream was not realized.

He said: “I called a friend of mine and asked for a GH¢50,000 loan. Unfortunately, everything went down the drain. I didn’t even have money for transportation.”

Disclosing that his family and friends neglected him at this stage, Ras Nene said he received assistance from a pastor called Penamang. But for her assistance, there was no hope.

“She gave me GH¢70 for transportation,” he said.

In what appeared to be that last straw that broke the camel’s back, Ras Nene said his “own people” called the man that gave him the loan to inform him of his return.

“As soon as I got home, the man came in with the police to arrest me,” the actor narrated as he disclosed, he spent three days in remand. “I was later told the man said he had forgiven me. I was subsequently released.”