Ghana president fires junior finance minister over mining expose

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has sacked Charles Adu Boahen, the minister of state for finance, the presidency said on Monday.

In a statement, the president said he had taken the action after being made aware of allegations levelled against Adu Boahen in an expose about small-scale gold mining.

It added that Akufo-Addo had also referred the matter to the special prosecutor for further investigations.

Adu Boahen did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Artisanal mining is widespread in Ghana, Africa’s second-largest gold producer, and accounts for about one-third of the country’s production.  A recent expose by controversial journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas alleged that Boahen had taken bribes from artisanal mine investors to allow them to operate unimpeded.

Ghana’s finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta is also facing calls for dismissal from members of parliament who accuse him of corruption and economic mismanagement as the country faces its worst economic crisis in a generation.

On November 6, hundreds of protesters marched through the capital city Accra, calling for the resignation of President Nana Akufo-Addo amid an economic crisis that has seen fuel and food costs spiral to record levels.