The presence of the former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Cromwell Bissue at the Diaspora Town Hall Meeting in London organised by Ghana’s Ministry of Information has caused a scene.
One of the participants, a member of the Ghanaian Community living abroad who was unhappy to see Mr. Bissue at the gathering questioned the organizers about why he is among the respected delegation.
The questioner demanded answers to why Charles Bissue who has been exposed by award-wining Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas as a corrupt government official will be allowed to sit in the midst of a high profile delegation to discuss matters relating to corruption.
He asked whether Mr. Bissue funded his own trip to the UK or taxpayers money.
“To Mr Deputy Attorney General, you made mention of various corruption issues that are being prosecuted. We are aware that recently Anas Aremeyaw Anas came out with a documentary involving one gentleman here taking cash gift when he was entrusted to work towards the elimination of galamsey and now I want you to tell me what specific measures have been done about that gentleman, too, Mr Bissue. And he is here sitting with us; is he here with our tax money, with you as government delegation or he came on his own?”
In a response to the question, Deputy Minister of Information, Pius Hadzide clarified that the embattled official was there as an independent Ghanaian and not on the ticket of government.
“It’s our understanding that the gentleman one of the questioners referred to has been a long-standing member of this Ghanaian community here in the UK and he is here today again as an independent Ghanaian to participate in the programme and he is not part of the government delegation,” Mr. Hadzide explained.
Mr. Bissue has also explained in a statement he was not at the meeting as a member of Government’s entourage but as a Regional Member of the New Patriotic Party.
He added, “I sought permission from the Chief of Staff to come and meet my PhD supervisor on mining reforms in Ghana (which is privately funded) and as well see my kids.”
Presidential Staffer, Mr Bissue, was caught in Tiger Eye PI’s recent undercover piece engaging in bribery and corruption.
According to the documentary, the then IMCM Secretary abused his office by accepting cash gifts to facilitate processes for an unlicensed mining company to acquire concession to mine gold.
Following the release of the documentary, Mr. Bissue who insists he is innocent of all the allegations and has never engaged in any form of corruption his entire life, resigned from his position as the IMCM Secretary.
This he said will ensure an uncompromised probe into the exposé.
He has asked Anas Aremeyaw Anas to submit unedited videos of the documentary to the Attorney General for a thorough investigation.
