Miners Have Not Given Me Any Money –Western Regional Minister

Report by Nana POKU
The Western Regional Minister Hon Kwabena Otchere Darko Mensah has vehemently denied ever
receiving any bribe money from the illegal miners of his region.
Speaking at his turn for Regional State of Affairs in Accra, the minister wondered how on earth anyone
can suggest that he demands a whopping amount of Ghc 17m from these miners.
" Talking of Ghc 17 million, how can this big sum of money get to me? You need more than 24 footer
container to carry it, it can't occupy any 4-wheel drive car, I wonder who concocted this allegation, and
gullible as some media houses are, they just bought into it; it is not true at all. My driver is here. You can
talk to him and find out, this is just one of such media and political mischiefs," he said.
The minister took the opportunity to exonerate himself from this wild allegation spreading far and near
that he demanded bribes from some small-scale and illegal miners to allow them to do their own thing in his
region. He said if any of his 14 MMDCEs gets himself into the illegal mining business, he would expose
such a person to face his cross.
" Even if l engage in illegal mining, l will face the music squarely but baseless allegations of this nature
have been freely made against me and some government officials and politicians but have not been
proven. This is a clear case of tarnishing our hard-built images for ill motives," he said.
He, therefore, advised the media to thoroughly cross-check their facts and information before going public
on sensitive issues against public figures. He admitted that though his region faces illegal mining
practices, he is liaising with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in its new methodology of
fighting the menace that involves the chiefs and all MDCEs who will act as signatories and supervisors in
licensing these small-scale miners in their communities and are therefore liable for any foul play.
He disclosed that when the river guards come on board, the situation and turbidity of the colored rivers
would improve considerably. He said the security agencies have been arresting and prosecuting some
illegal miners in his region and this has seen the recuperation of rivers like Pra, Tano, Ankobra, Bia,
Bonsa and the rest.  He revealed that the turbidity of these rivers is improving and hoped for better
when the river guards assume duties on a full scale.