'I don't even have a single concession, he's only tarnishing my image' – Former Manso Nkwanta MP

The former Member of Parliament for Manso Nkwanta constituency in the Ashanti region, Prof. Joseph Albert Quarm, has firmly disregarded claims by former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng accusing him of engaging in illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking with Aduanaba Kofi Ampong on Ezra Morning show on Friday, monitored by GhanaWeb, Prof. Quarm called out the claims by Frimpong Boateng’s report as mere false accusations that seek to tarnish his image. He also described the report as worthless since it failed to listen to his side of the story before being issued by the professor.

According to him, the Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources legally established community minings in his constituency and he doesn't know if that was what Frimpong Boateng's report has captured as illegal operations by him. He However described the claims as false that must disregarded by everyone.

“I don't even have one concession not even to talk of dozen concessions sold by me, as stated in his report.” Mr. Quarm said.

“He doesn't have any substantive evidence on his statement so I'm challenging him to come out with evidence”. Prof. Quarm said it on the radio during the interview

He stated that he will go to court if Prof. Frimpong Boateng didn’t retract and apologize to him.

"I do expect him to retract and apologize over his false reportage that seek to denigrate my reputation, else he will have to meet in court to prove otherwise". He concluded.

His response was in reaction to a recent publication by Professor Frimpong-Boateng on illegal mining activities that implicated many NPP gurus and others in government. The former Manso Nkwanta MP was captured to have been owing many concessions which he sold to illegal miners at 2 Million Ghana Cedis.