Wontumi, Kate Gyamfua, other NPP bigwigs engaged in legal mining not galamsey – John Boadu

•He says the likes of Wontumi and Kate Gyamfua are engage in legal mining

•Equipment belonging to Kate Gyamfua's firm were burnt by the anti-galamsey taskforce

John Boadu, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party has sought to establish that some bigwigs of the party who have been rumored to be engaging in illegal small scale mining (galamsey) are actually undertaking legal mining.

In an Adom FM interview, John Boadu stated that the National Women’s Organizer and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the party are into legal mining contrary to public opinions and perceptions.

He noted that it is high time a distinction was made between galamsey and mining legally which he believes is the enterprise being undertaken by his party members.

“I have no family member who is into mining but I have a number of party people who are into mining. Illegal mining is what we call galamsey. For instance our National Women Organizer is into mining. The regional chairman for Ashanti Region is in to mining. Eastern Regional chairman is into mining. A lot of our party people from mining communities are into mining,” he said.

John Boadu is one of many NPP bigwigs who has been accused in the past of owning galamsey concessions.

But in the interview, he clarifies that he does not a own a mining company, talk less of owning a galamsey operation.

“It was even my friends and loved ones abroad who drew my attention to the video and I was surprised when I saw it as someone who had publicly ordered the Operation Halt team to burn any mining equipment alleged to be mine,” he said.

Interestingly, Kate Gyamfua, the NPP National Women’s Organizer who John Boadu mentioned as operating a licensed mining firm had the equipment and offices of her firm razed down by members of the Operation Halt taskforce months back.

Her company as per the actions of the military officers was engaged in illegal mining contrary to John Boadu’s position.

Gyamfua has vowed to seek legal redress over the burning of excavators belonging to a firm she is ssociated with, Xtra Gold Mining firm.

Her spokesperson, Ernest Yaw Kumi told Adom FM in May that, the action by the officials deployed to clamp down on galamsey activities is in breach of laws governing the mining sector.

“Madam Kate Gyamfua will use all legal means to defend her right and her company as a citizen,” said Yaw Kumi.