A former secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining says he has had enough of the name-calling, especially by persons in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who associate him with corrupt practices in mining.
Charles Bissue stepped aside in 2019 as secretary the committee following the airing of an investigative documentary by Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Tiger eye P.I team.
The government appointee denied the claims insisting that the Ghana Police Service exonerated him from any wrong doing.
Earlier this week, President Akufo-Addo called for a bi-partisan approach towards tackling the menace of illegal mining owing to the continued degradation of forest reserves across the country and the inability of government to sustain the fight alone.
The largest opposition party, the NDC retorted by saying that the President’s call will be heeded only if he prosecutes a tall list of his own appointees, including Charles Bissue who the party claims was caught on tape taking bribes instead of enforcing government’s stance on ‘galamsey’.
Speaking on The Pulse on Friday, October 7, 2022, Charles Bissue expressed displeasure over what he says was an attempt by the NDC to make political capital out of a matter that deserves a patriotic and collective fight.
Responding to questions on his alleged bribery scandal Charles Bissue noted: “The crux of it is that the Police did their investigations and exonerated me. The Special Prosecutor carried out his investigations as well. But I thought that for example, the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, he owes this country duty of care as well because the investigations that he carried out… at that time he actually invited everybody and I wish to see the handing over notes he gave the new Special Prosecutor who was lawyer for Anas in that matter.”
Mr Bissue is also puzzled why Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, Professor Frimpong Boateng has kept a long silence. According to Mr Bissue, “if he (Prof Boateng) has got nothing to hide, he should come out.”
To register his frustrations over the continued attempt of political opponents to nail him on a crime he has not committed Mr. Bissue stated that, “enough of Charles Bissue.”
Tiger eye P.I in a statement yesterday signed by Chief Executive of the company, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, stated that his officers will be willing to testify on circumstances leading to Mr Charles Bissue’s abetment of illegal mining before any properly constituted Body.
“Tiger Eye P. I has taken note of a series of lies and calumnies put out by the embattled
Secretary to the then Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Mr
Charles Bissue, in his desperate attempt to defend his misconduct as captured in the
documentary dubbed ‘Galamsey Fraud Part 1’ that was published in February 2019.
The latest of his lies which have animated responses from Tiger Eye are contained in his
press release dated 6 October 2022,” the statement said.
It further noted that “Tiger Eye’s position, conduct and approach to all investigations are based on truth, facts and audio-visual evidence. Tiger Eye affirms and maintains its investigations and
conclusions in the Galamsey Fraud documentary about Mr Charles Bissue and other staff
at the dissolved IMCIM.
“Any claims or allegations to the contrary are false and without
merit. Mr Charles Bissue engaged in bribery and corruption and Tiger Eye uncovered
this in the form of audio-visual evidence when undercover journalists posed as owners of
an abandoned mining company.”