Presidential Staffer, Beatrice Annan, has strongly refuted claims that President John Dramani Mahama shields corrupt officials, stressing that he is not a “clearing agent” as alleged by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to her, President Mahama is not a leader who tolerates wrongdoing or protects appointees found culpable of corrupt practices.

Speaking on Angel FM in an interview with Sports Obama on Friday morning, she noted that, unlike the previous government, which she said only paid lip service to the fight against illegal mining, the current administration has demonstrated clear commitment and action. She argued that it was never true that the NPP was committed to ending galamsey, adding that some of its flagship campaigns, such as Agenda 111, largely “existed only on paper.”

Beatrice Annan revealed that the NDC government has already repossessed all nine forest reserves that were taken over by illegal miners under the Akufo-Addo administration.

She added that no government official or appointee under the current regime is permitted to engage in any form of mining, stressing that leadership by example is essential if the illegal mining menace is to be defeated.

She further dismissed suggestions for a state of emergency as a solution to galamsey, stating that such a move is merely populist and does not address the root of the problem.

She also disclosed that the NDC government remains hopeful of revoking the controversial Legislative Instrument (LI) that gave legal cover to certain mining activities by the end of the year.

On matters of public accountability, Beatrice Annan explained that the government has taken concrete steps to halt financial leakages and irregularities captured in the recent ORAL report, insisting that “we have stopped the bleeding in the system in terms of corruption,” and that the government is “not sleeping on issues captured in the ORAL findings.”

Touching on the economy, she revealed that the 24-hour economy policy is already operational in several institutions across the country, demonstrating the practicality and seriousness of the initiative.

She maintained that President Mahama and the NDC administration remain deeply committed to environmental protection, accountability in public office, and responsible governance.