A Presidential Staffer and Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining (IMCIM), Mr. Charles Cromwell Bissue has been indicted in the latest exposé by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
In a documentary released by Anas, Mr. Bissue is captured accepting money ostensibly to facilitate clearance for a mining company without going through due process.
He is heard in the video instructing his subordinates to fast-track the processing of the company’s documents.
Several others connected to the work of the committee, otherwise known as the Presidential Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, are seen in the video playing “facilitating” roles at negotiated fees.
There are security operatives, informants and go-between who also offer to provide the company with information on the movements of a security task-force against illegal miners, and others who contribute to provide armed guards for the company’s concession.
All these are actions that are in sharp contrast with the objectives of the very institutions they work with or purport to work for.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining was commissioned in March 2017 by President Akufo-Addo to sanitize artisanal and small-scale mining in the country as well as develop a roadmap towards lifting an indefinite ban on small scale mining that lasted about 21 months.
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By: citinewsroom.com | Ghana
