KEY POINTS
- The Ministry of Lands refutes claims that President Akufo-Addo’s daughters are involved in illegal mining.
- The ministry emphasizes that Elite Minerals received its mining lease before the president’s tenure.
- It urges political figures to avoid spreading false information that could damage reputations and increase tensions.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has denied allegations that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s daughters are involved in illegal mining activities, also known as galamsey. The ministry described the allegations, which were made by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as “false and misleading” in a statement that was made public on Saturday, September 28, 2024.
The ministry declared that there is not a single member of the president’s family involved in galamsey operations, characterising the allegations as politically driven attempts to harm the prestige of the president’s family.
“The allegations that the daughters of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are linked to Elite Minerals Company Limited or involved in illegal mining are entirely without merit,” said the ministry.
According to a report by Ghana Web, the ministry refuted charges of recent involvement by the president’s family by noting that Elite Minerals was registered in 2008 and obtained a mining lease in 2012, both during the administration of former President John Mahama.
The ministry reaffirmed its position against illicit mining and stressed that anyone found indulging in galamsey, regardless of status, would face legal action. In addition, it decried public officials who disseminate false information for their own benefit and emphasised current initiatives to protect Ghana’s natural resources and repair areas damaged by illicit mining.
Finally, the statement urged political leaders to refrain from spreading lies that damage people’s reputations and inflame political unrest.
