Ghana President Fires Minister Over Corruption Allegations
Category: Africa News
The president has “terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Charles Adu Boahen, with immediate effect,” he said in a statement.
The fallout from the expose by a well-known investigative journalist comes as the government is under pressure over a faltering economy and lawmakers even from his own party push Akufo-Addo to fire Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta.
The presidency’s statement said Akufo-Addo’s decision came after “being made aware of the allegations” against Boahen in the documentary “Galamsey Economy,” which is scheduled to be released on Monday.
Akufo-Addo also referred the case to prosecutors for further investigation.
“The sacking of Charles Adu Boahen is meaningless unless it is linked to the resignation of Ken Ofori-Atta,” governing party lawmaker Davis Opoku said in a Facebook post.
Teasers from the expose show Boahen in what the documentary claims are images of him trying to demand $200,000 from potential investors to give to the vice president to allow them to do business.
Galamsey is a local Ghanaian phrase referring to the illegal or unregulated, small-scale gold mining operations.
Boahen has not commented on the allegations made in the teasers.
But before the sacking was announced, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Monday said he was not aware of any meeting in which Boahen had used his name to “peddle influence and collect money from supposed investors.”
“If what the minister is alleged to have said is accurately captured in the video, then his position as a minister of state is untenable,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I will not allow anyone to use my name to engage in corrupt activities.”
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