In a fresh letter addressed to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, and signed by Managing Director of Exton Cubic, Augustus Amegashie, the company said “your action in disrespecting the sanctity of signed agreements will deter the potential private investments needed to create more jobs.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”IG9pckm9ndPoLpJBZCortBfYqP202mYv”]The Lands Minister, John Peter Amewu, last week announced that Exton Cubic has not met all the legal requirements to permit the company to prospect for bauxite in the Tano-Offin Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region, thus rendering their three mining leases invalid.

Earth moving equipment and vehicles belonging to Exton Cubic’s sub-contractor, Ibrahim Mahama’s Engineers and Planners (E&P), had earlier been impounded at Nyinahin, the town where the forest reserve is located, on the orders of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, following suspicions the mining company was operating illegally.

The letter from Exton Cubic sighted by citifmonline.com, further expressed disappointment over the revocation of their permit describing it as “arbitrary and a gross abuse of executive power.”

“We are by this letter expressing our disappointment at your decision, and state that the reasons for your action are not borne by the facts and the evidence on record. We believe that such unfair treatment meted out to an indigenous Ghanaian company runs against his Excellency President Akufo-Addo’s mantra of ‘I believe in Ghana’,” the letter added.

Exton Cubic’s Managing Director also lamented that the revocation will affect their investments in the sector.

“Your unilateral decision to ‘revoke’ or ‘invalidate’ the leases threaten to jeopardize the massive investments we have made in the bauxite project and also cause us to default our firm off-take agreements with our international partners. We wish to inform you, that our company intends to do all that is possible within the remit of the law to protect and realize its rights under the leases. Our lawyers have been instructed in this regard,” he added.

Although there are indications the company may be considering a legal action against government, no concrete decision has been taken in that regard by the company.

Click here for the full letter

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Revoking our license bad for private investors – Exton Cubic appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, this could serve as an alternative source of livelihood for the illegal miners who have been ordered to cease their activities.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8XM1OFZg51DNt8fb9c7UvAU8iQ1BD7BU”]Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, the Minister said, the government through a 5-year Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP) will roll out a livelihood empowerment project for the illegal miners to create an employment avenue for them.

“For those who want to be engaged in the mining activities, they will be absorbed into the MMIP. With the reclamation across this country, it is estimated that about 1.5% of the earth surface has been degraded as a result of this activity. That alone is going to provide jobs for the communities that want to re-engage in reclamation and planting of trees. The MMIP is an attempt to absorb all factory hands engaged in illegal activities to be absorbed back within a period of 5 years where exploration activities will be done in areas that are prospective and these factory hands will be brought here to mine,” he said.

Mr. Amewu added that, the government wanted to ensure that the sector is sanitized and devoid of illegal miners to ensure effective regulation and protection of the country’s environment.

Many communities in Ghana are currently suffering the negative effects of galamsey which has left most of Ghana’s fresh water bodies poisonous.

Thousands of acres of fertile farmlands have also been destroyed as a result of galamsey. Although Ghana’s laws are clear on illegal mining, the activity has been allowed to continue for more than two decades.

Citi FM has been at the forefront of media advocacy and crusade for action against the illegal activity. The station has among other things petitioned Parliament to act to stop the illegal activity.

Some illegal miners have challenged government’s fight against the menace, indicating that they do not have an alternative source of livelihood.

But the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has said that government will provide an alternative source of livelihood for them.

He noted that, until the reclamation exercise is completed, the illegal miners will not be allowed to engage in any form of mining activity.

Threats of losing votes in election

In a related development, Mr. Peter Amewu has said that he will not compromise his fight against galamsey over the fear of losing the votes of illegal miners at the next election.

Although some of the illegal miners have threatened not to vote for the incumbent government over their stance on illegal mining, the Minister said he would not renege on his efforts to stop the menace which has serious negative effect on the country’s environment.

According to him, although the government seeks the interest of the minority illegal miners, it will not sacrifice the collective interest of the country for them.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citfimonline.com/Ghana

The post Illegal miners will be engaged in tree planting program – Amewu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.