Kweku Baako Jr., the editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide, and Gabby Otchere Darko, a nephew of the president, have been exposed for their involvement with illicit mining companies. These individuals have been accused of impeding President Akufo Addo's anti-galamsey campaign during the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) era.
Prof. Frimpong Boateng's leaked report to the IMCIM, filed in March 2021, revealed that Kweku Baako and Gabby Otchere Darko personally accosted him regarding a raid the IMCIM taskforce conducted on an illegal mining operation by C&J Alaska in the Diaso Forest Reserve. The IMCIM task force led by Charles Bissue successfully dislodged armed military personnel stationed at the location to safeguard the illegal mining company.
Prof. Frimpong Boateng claims that Kweku Baako called him later and disclosed that the C&J Alaska managers were his cronies. This disclosure was a confession of Kweku Baako's personal interest in C&J Alaska.
Kwaku Baako published a series of articles attacking Prof. Frimpong Boateng and the IMCIM for closing down C&J Alaska's illegal mining operation. Prof. Frimpong Boateng characterized Kwaku Baako as a "ferocious assailant" who wrote unflattering things about him.
"I, in particular, came under severe assault. Mr. Kweku Baako, a journalist who contacted me to inform me that the C&J managers were his friends, was a vicious aggressor. "At the time, Mr. Baako published unsavory things about me," he noted in the report.
According to a succession of articles published by Kwaku Baako's newspaper, C&J Alaska never engaged in illegal mining, and the IMCIM raid could result in legal damages to the government. In a publication dated December 19, 2018, Kwaku Baako's The New Crusading Guide claimed to be aware of a retaliatory attack by the company's directors against the IMCIM.
"These Ministers and senior government officials are perplexed as to why the Inter-Ministerial Committee prefers to pursue legal businesses while allowing illicit businesses to operate without interference.
"The company also stated that it will publish the names of certain prominent government officials who are behind this cynical plan to destroy its business. The Directors of the mining company have also implied that they will expose corrupt practices perpetrated by some government appointees in the mining industry behind the backs of the appointing authorities, according to an excerpt from the article.
Prof. Frimpong Boateng continued by stating that the owners of C&J Alaska, Mr. Donald Entsuah and Simon Ayman [a Canadian], established a new mining company, Imperial Heritage, shortly after the IMCIM task force assault. According to the report, Imperial Heritage infiltrated the Kobro and Apaprama Forest Reserves within the Amansie Central District.
The destruction of the forest could not be compared to that of the Diaso forest. The IMCIM Chair stated that the organization had been monitoring Imperial Heritage's operations and had evidence of the company's illicit activities. According to him, the 2BN was significantly responsible for guiding the company.
"On Saturday, January 16, 2021, the task force visited the Kobro forest and witnessed the utter destruction of an environment that was once pristine. Prof. Frimpong Boateng noted that they were confronted by a dozen soldiers from 2BN who were providing security for the unlawful activity.
Prof. Frimpong Boateng expressed horror at hearing Gabby Otchere Darko defend Imperial Heritage and urging the IMCIM Chair to permit the company to resume operations. Prof. Frimpong Boateng claims that Gabby identified himself as the company's legal counsel.
"Therefore, I was horrified to receive a phone call from Mr. Otchere Darko, who informed me that he was the legal counsel for Mr. Donald Entsuah and his Imperial Heritage Mining Company, and that the company should be permitted to operate in the Kobro and Apaprama Forest Reserves."
Prof. Frimpong reported Gabby's confrontation to the President, but no action was taken to resolve the issue.
According to Prof. Frimpong, Gabby and Kwaku Baako were cynical and repulsed by the President-approved IMCIM operations to rid the country of illicit mining, which had caused irreparable environmental damage.