Mr Oscar Ofori Larbi, Member of Parliament for Aowin Constituency in the Western North Region, has refuted claims by some chiefs in the area, linking him to Illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the Tano Anwia Forest reserve.
According to the MP, the allegations were false and completely baseless, malicious and a deliberately calculated attempt to tarnish his hard won reputation.
A statement signed by the member of Parliament and copied to the Ghana News Agency stated that “My attention has been drawn to a false claims that I am involved in illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as galamsey, but my topmost priority as a Member of Parliament for the good people of Aowin is the well being of my people and that remains intact.
“I nearly lost the Aowin parliamentary seat because of my opposition to illegal mining in the area making me unpopular in the just ended elections,” it said.
The statement further condemned the recent act of violence and loss of life in the Tano Anwia Forest reserve and the assault on members of the rapid response team.
The statement urged individuals spreading such baseless claims to stop as his legal team had been instructed to take the necessary steps to protect his reputation if such falsehood continued.
“I remain committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to protect the country’s natural resources and promote sustainable development, the statement added.
It encouraged Aowin constituents and the public to disregard such malicious rumors and treat them with the contempt that it deserved and asked them to remain focused on building a better future for the community and the nation at large.
