In the midst of the recent heightened debate over the government’s fight against illegal mining, the Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mr. Justice Whittal has exonerated the former Minister for Environment Science Technology and Innovation, Professor Frimpong Boateng from all illegal mining accusations.

According to the Commissioner of CHRAJ, the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining has not been involved in illegal mining popularly known as galamsey as he has been counter-accused.

The revelation was made by Mr. Whittal on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, when he spoke in an interview with Accra-based TV3 on the back of a report submitted to the Chief of Staff by Professor Frimpong Boateng about his experience in the fight against the menace.

Explaining his defense of the former Minister, the CHRAJ boss disclosed that a petition was submitted against the former minister in 2019 which bothered on his alleged involvement in galamsey.

He further noted that at the end of the investigation, it was uncovered that although the former minister owned mining concessions, he was not involved in any illegality as far as mining is concerned.

“We investigated allegations made against Prof Frimpong-Boateng. We went in and did a very thorough investigation, came out with our report, a 116-page report, and the offshoot is that he was not involved in any illegal mining concessions,” the commissioner disclosed.

Mr. Whittal continued that“he had genuine concessions which he had difficulties even starting because of community violence against his company.”

Mr. Whittal further insisted that the son and wife of Prof Frimpong-Boateng were also cleared after the investigations.

There have been counter-accusations – since the former Environment Minister’s report on the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) was leaked – that he was also complicit in illegal mining.

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