The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu has announced that Exton Cubic Group Limited has not met all the legal requirements to permit the company prospect for bauxite in Nyinahini in the Ashanti region, hence stopped from operating.
Exton Cubic Group Limited, which is owned by Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Mahama was earlier directed by the Environmental Protection Agency to discontinue its operations for not having a permit.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu stated that the purported leases of the company did not meet the requirements.
“The absence of publication in the Gazette of a notice of the pendency of the company’s applications and service of the notice on the various entities specified in the law is contrary to both section 13(2) of ACT 703 and Regulation 177 of L.I 2176,” .
“The failure to obtain an Environmental Permit, Operational Permit, as well as the various statutory infractions, leading to the purported grant of the three Mining Leases to the company, render the purported leases invalid and of no effect,” he stated.
Giving some more explanations, Mr. Amewu stated that Exton Cubic did not acquire all the requirements needed under the Minerals and Mining Regulations, 2012.
“The company was supposed to provide an Exploration Operating Permit for the year 2017. An exploration operating Plan to the Minerals Commission. None of the above was fulfilled”
Background
The youth of Nyinahini recently protested and gave government a 24-hour ultimatum to remove all machines belonging to Exton Cubic Group Limited from the area.
In a petition to the President, the youth appealed to the president to order all machinery of Exton Cubic Company to be impounded until a proper agreement is reached by all stakeholders
The Assembly man for the Nyinahini electoral area, Baba Yaro presented the petition to the District Chief Executive of the area on behalf of the youth.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana