“It is quite shocking. It is a caution for us to be careful in the environment we are working in. I am not too surprised; but it is an interesting thing that has been uncovered,” the Minister said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3yLP9rb6NLLwjnTCdYRSPH6OeprV5WDM”]“The fight against illegal mining is a presidential directive. The President gave this directive that we must keep the environment. And I am not doing this alone. I am doing it with other sectoral Ministers so it is a caution that we should be extra careful,” Mr. Amewu added.

The device, according to the Minister, was discovered after a screening process at the Ministry.

It is however unclear who planted the device there, when it was installed and for what purpose, although the National Security Ministry has began investigations into it.

The Minister, who has been championing the fight against illegal mining since he assumed his role, has taken some drastic measures, including placing a six-month ban on small scale mining to sanitize the industry.

Many Ghanaians survive on illegal mining activities, which is also backed by some traditional authorities, politicians and other influential persons in society.

The fight against the menace, is therefore considered quite complicated, due to the widespread interests.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post I’m not too surprised about uncovered ‘spying’ device – Amewu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Amewu confirmed to Citi News that the devices were found through a screening process at the Ministry.

[contextly_sidebar id=”TwvPvfEwHW1xiSKkGEcpfUfUCe5OvSRU”]It is however unclear who planted the device there, when it was installed and for what purpose.

The National Security Ministry has directed that investigations be conducted “to establish the circumstances under which the device was installed,” Mr. Amewu added.

Asked whether he was alarmed by the development, the Minister said : “it is quite shocking. It is a caution for us to be careful in the environment we are working in. I am not too surprised; but it is an interesting thing that has been uncovered.”

“The fight against illegal mining is a presidential directive. The President gave this directive that we must keep the environment. And I am not doing this alone. I am doing it with other sectoral Ministers so it is a caution that we should be extra careful,” Mr. Amewu added.

The Minister, who has been championing the fight against illegal mining since he assumed his role, has taken some drastic measures, including placing a six-month ban on small scale mining to sanitize the industry.

Many Ghanaians survive on illegal mining activities, which is also backed by some traditional authorities, politicians and other influential persons in society.

The fight against the menace, is therefore considered quite complicated, due to the widespread interests.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Hidden ‘spying’ device uncovered in Amewu’s office appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, although he consented to the leasing of a land for the purpose of bauxite mining, it was not in the Atiwa forest area, as some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government were alleging.

[contextly_sidebar id=”AHa1GgV6fKgZSIu0Aoa4nEOSPTsDR2rd”]The Economic Adviser to the Vice President, Dr. Gideon Boako, earlier this week said the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) government sold 58 percent of Ghana’s bauxite concession to a company belonging to the brother of the former President.

“They sold 58 percent on 29th December 2016 when they were leaving office. The NDC government sold 58 percent of our bauxite concession to the former President’s brother. The one they sold to him, was it possible to mine or not. They should stop this argument,” Mr Boako claimed in an interview with Citi News.

A subsequent document sighted by Citi News indicated that, the ministry, under Nii Osah Mills, signed the agreement on December 29th after they had lost the election, to allow Exton Cubic Group Limited mine bauxite on an agreed parcel of land.

But according to Nii Osah Mills, the agreement was signed in accordance with law. He could not verify whether indeed the company belongs to President Mahama’s brother.

“It is simply a mining lease under Ghana’s laws. This was a contract to lease lands for the purpose of mining bauxite deposits.”

Reports suggested that the area of land leased to the company was in a forest reserve in the Akyem area in the Eastern Region, but Nii Osah Mills said it was untrue.

“I don’t believe that the document I signed related to mining in a forest. I don’t believe so,” he said on Eyewitness News.

There is a brewing controversy over plans by the government to leverage on the country’s bauxite deposits to contract a $15 billion facility from the Chinese government.

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia is alleged to have said that Ghana will “use what we have to get what we want,” referring to the use of the country’s natural resources to contract the loan.

Some groups, including A-Rocha Ghana, an environmental NGO in the country, has spoken against the move saying it will among other things deprive over 5 million Ghanaians access to potable water.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post I didn’t sell forest land for bauxite mining – Osah Mills appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.