Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Professor Frimpong-Boateng has stated that he does not believe the new Patriotic Party is presently serving Ghanaians the right model of governance.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, the one-time flagbearer hopeful of the NPP was asked if Ghanaians should buy into the party’s breaking the 8 mantra.
In response to the question by Dr Randy Abbey, host of the program, Prof Frimpong-Boateng said “Look I want a government that will serve this nation, unite this nation; this tribalism of you are from here, I am from there, I am from this party, they are from that party. Look, I didn’t grow up that way. So whether they will break the 8 or they can’t break it that is not important to the nation. We want a nation that is in the path of truth, righteousness and sustainable development.”
Asked if his party fits his description, Prof Fimpong-Boateng retorted with “At this present time?.. No. I mean, I will be a fool to say that. It is not. I will be very dishonest so we need to be honest. I don’t need to be a soothsayer to know that we have challenges and so on but that doesn’t mean that the alternatives are much better.”
The media on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, reported that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng had been arrested and granted bail by the Special Prosecutor.
In his interview with Joynews, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng confirmed his arrest but noted that it happened as far back as middle of last month following an invitation by the OSP.
“We waited at the lobby down there, and that was my first time in that building,” he said.
“We arrived around 10 o’clock, waiting for my lawyer. When he came, we were taken upstairs to the 7th floor, where the office is, and then we were ushered into a room. I was given a chair, and opposite me was the Chief Investigator.
“On my right, there were my two lawyers, and then some officers from that office.
“So, as soon as I sat down, the Chief Investigator came to me. I was sitting down, and then he put his left hand on my right shoulder and said, ‘Professor, you are under arrest.’
“Why? He said they are investigating corruption and corruption-related activities of the IMCIM that I was chairman of. Any specific thing I had done? No, they are just doing their investigations, but all the same, I was under arrest,” Prof. Frimpong Boateng said.
According to him, he found the arrest “strange,” considering preceding events, including some lawsuits brought against him.
Prof. Boateng-Boateng further revealed that he was subjected to two hours of investigation at the OSP’s office before being granted a GHC2 million bail.
Galamsey report
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who chaired the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, accused some government officials and appointees at the Jubilee House, including the director of operations, Mr. Lord Commey, and Mr. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the president’s cousin, of engaging in illegal mining activities and frustrating his fight against it during his tenure as minister.
The allegations, contained in a report submitted to the president through the Chief of Staff in 2021, were recently leaked to the media.
He also accused Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah of orchestrating media attacks against him to undermine his fight against illegal mining in the eyes of President Nana Akufo-Addo. The minister has denied all the claims.
Additionally, Professor Frimpong-Boateng named Mr. Joseph Albert Quarm, a former Member of Parliament for Manso Nkwanta, as being deeply involved in illegal mining.
The Ghana Police Service has since opened investigations into the allegations, while those implicated in his report have denied them.
Some individuals whose names were mentioned in the report have filed defamation suits against the renowned surgeon.
