Former Manso Nkwanta MP Joseph Albert Quarm has denied allegations made by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, that he engaged in unlawful mining, often known as galamsey.
According to a study by Professor Frimpong-Boateng, Mr. Quarm, a member of the Minerals Commission, acquired many large-scale mining concessions in his region and sold them to private parties and individuals.
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According to Frimpong-Boateng's report, NPP officials participated in the galamsey.
The way Gabby responds to the accusations levelled against him in the illicit mining report by Frimpong Boateng
According to the article, the MP "finally sold these concessions to private persons, including party members, for 200,000 cedis per concession.
This incensed the local party, and in the 2020 primary elections to choose a candidate, the electorate rejected Mr. Quarm, the incumbent MP, who had more resources than the other contenders. Despite claims that he tried to bribe delegates and "camp" with them, he lost to a less well-known person who lacked financial power.
Mr. Quarm refuted the assertions, asserting that he had no ownership interest in any concessions, and he urged Professor Frimpong-Boateng to recant his statements.
"This is a complete untruth, and it's quite bad. I don't own a concession; thus, how can I sell one if I don't own one? Once he denies that the news is from him, I can't say much, but if the report is from him, there must be documentation with my name on it for a mining concession. In an interview with Citi FM, Mr. Quarm stated, "I will advise that your station obtain from him any documents containing my name.
"I don't even have a concession pin, much less multiple... I don't offer any apologies. If he admits that it came from him, I'll let my solicitors write to him to demand an apology and retractions while I advise myself.
According to the allegation, certain members of the ruling New Patriotic Party hired Chinese citizens to conduct galamsey on their behalf.
"What puzzled me during our fight against unlawful activity in the small-scale mining industry was the President's complete disdain for his promise to safeguard the environment." In his study, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng claimed that several party officials, from the national to the unit committee level, had acquaintances, personal assistants, agents, relatives, financiers, or relatives involved in illicit mining.
Most of them hired Chinese people to work for them. I'm not talking about party members who had genuine mining concessions and followed instructions to mine sustainably. There are Jubilee House appointees who engage in or promote illicit mining or who obstruct efforts to combat the problem.
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