According to the treasurer of the association, Dr. Abu Grant, the Minerals Commission needs to be steadfast in its operations, in order to stop the leakage of gold revenue from Ghana.

His comments follow the disclosure that about $5 billion dollars’ worth of gold exports from Ghana to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), were unaccounted for.

Speaking to Citi Business News, Dr. Abu Grant stated that enforcement of the law will protect the country from further losses.

“The Minerals Commission needs to be steadfast and make sure the systems they’ve put in place are not abused. Everything that has to be done to prevent gold revenue losses has already been done. Every licensed gold exporter has at least two to three weeks to repatriate the proceeds after exporting gold. If you flout the repatriation rules and you want to export you should face some difficulty,” he suggested.

Meanwhile, Dr. Grant has blamed the previous board of Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) for its role in the loss of revenue from gold exports in recent times.

“We know that through the PMMC a lot of people have exported gold without repatriating back the proceeds. A lot of Indians back then were exporting a lot of gold through the PMMC without returning the proceeds. I definitely blame the previous management of PMMC. They created all the loopholes that people are taking advantage of”, he alleged.

Revenue leakages in gold export

In September 2017, it emerged that the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), at the time, could not trace most of the companies involved in the export of $2.3 billion worth of gold in 2016.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service begun a probe into the matter which was said to involve about 145 companies.

The PMMC, which got its license revoked by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) in September, was mandated to oversee the export of gold from the small-scale mining sector.

The law requires at least 80 percent of foreign currency earned from exports to be repatriated into the country.

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By: Bobbie Osei/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

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EPA had accused the company of entering the forest illegally and has asked Exton to halt operations and take steps to obtain the right permits.

According to the Acting Director of Public Affairs at EPA, Mrs. Angelina Mensah the company failed to comply with some laid down procedures of EPA.

[contextly_sidebar id=”p06JEgnDfBXQ9YxrGkCf7l9fgbQHZevB”]The matter came to the fore when the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah and the Atwima Mponua DCE confiscated the heavy duty trucks, vehicles and equipment belonging to Engineers and Planners (E&P) a company Exton engaged to help in its work at the site.

The EPA Public Affairs Director explained that Exton was supposed to among other things inform EPA before entering the forest and they were also supposed to undertake a liability estimate of environment degradation in the area saying such things were not done.

According to her, the liability estimate required that Exton engages consultants and persons versed in mining to “assess the pristine nature of the forest” and also create a fund “called reclamation bond” so that if any destruction was done during the prospecting “that money is used to remediate it.”

“The condition also states that if you do not do these things within three months we have to cancel, revoke or suspend your permit. Unfortunately they did not come back to us, by the time we could say jack, they were in the Nyinahin forest entering. You needed to inform the EPA before they did that. So it’s got nothing to do with their mining but instead it’s got to do with the fact that they did not go with the legal ambit of the EPA’s environmental assessment process,” she stressed.

But speaking on Citi FM news analysis programme on Saturday, the Public Relations Officer of the mining firm, Exton Cubic Group, Sammy Gyamfi insisted that they had all the necessary permits from the appropriate bodies to prospect the mineral but complained that several letters they wrote to the EPA to give them the mining permit received no response.

He added that no official of the EPA had also been the concession site ever since matter came to the fore.

“It is surprising that in all this the EPA hasn’t visited the site to ascertain the veracity of the publications out there that we are engaging in mining. Mining of bauxite is not something you can do in secrecy. You have regional and national offices and we are working with you. So at least one would have expected the EPA to at least give Exton Cubic a hearing.”

“In line with the principles of natural justice a man cannot be judged unheared. In all these things we have not received any correspondences from the EPA; we’ve not received any letters that we have sent to EPA dated 30^th March 2017 and a reminder to that dated 18^th July 2017. And EPA has not acknowledged receipt of these letters and they have also not replied so it strange that the state institution will use the media as platform for engaging local Ghanaian companies who are doing business in the country,” he added.

Mr. Gyamfi also said the issue of the reclamation bond is “totally inaccurate.”

There is no condition in our EPA permit that requires us to present a report within three month relative to the posting of reclamation bond. What our environmental permit says about the reclamation bond is that the EPA will specify a period within which that reclamation bond should be posted and they have not done that specification. So it is sad that the EPA will just base such an ultimate decision on hearsays and publications in the media,” he added.

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

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Mr. Boasiako is the immediate past Managing Director of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Limited and has over 19 years’ experience in the mining industry.

He replaces Dr. Tony Aubynn who has been asked to proceed on indefinite leave. Dr. Aubynn had been at this post since April 2014.

Mr. Boasiako previously worked for Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) and AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) for over 13 years rising to become the Head of Human Resources, AGA West Africa Region-Ashanti Assets.

He was also the Head of Group HR AGC, coordinating seven HR Managers across the African continent.

Mr. Antwi-Boasiako holds MSc HRM degree from Graduate Management School, Salford University, UK and BSc (Admin) from University of Ghana, Legon.

This development at the commission follows months in which the Minerals Commission and the mining industry have been under scrutiny amid heightened campaigns against illegal mining practices.

The Minning Commission acts as the main promotional and regulatory body for the minerals sector in Ghana and is responsible for the regulation and management of the utilization of the mineral resources of Ghana and the coordination and implementation of policies relating to mining.

The commission also ensures compliance with Ghana’s Mining and Mineral Laws and Regulation through effective monitoring.

In in the heat of the anti-illegal mining campaign, the government has interdicted nine district mining officers of the Minerals Commission who were asked to proceed on an indefinite leave, in May 2017.

The nine officers who supervised mining activities in nine mining districts, according to the Lands and Natural resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, were negligent, as they allowed illegal mining to continue in their respective areas and allowed illegal miners to take over their designated territories.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Tony Aubynn replaced as Minerals Commission boss appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Other parties sued include the Minerals Commission, the Attorney General and another small scale mining firm, DIHAO Investment Limited.

[contextly_sidebar id=”l5HlYYCFiDITrhprF9B0QtviwWBnED3G”]According to the plaintiff, in a suit filed at the Tarkwa High Court, the Lands and Natural Resource Ministry failed to communicate the termination of its Minerals Prospecting License after it had applied for renewal in September 2011, and followed up with all statutory payments associated with the renewal.

The Minerals Commission, according to the plaintiff in a letter dated 3rd November 2013, recommended to the Lands Ministry to renew the license of Takoradi Gold Ghana Limited. But, the renewal never happened until a letter dated 23rd October, 2013, was received by the plaintiff, announcing that his request for renewal had been rejected by the ministry.

According to the plaintiff, it was later discovered that the concession which is at Kutukrom/Nsuta, has been granted to a Chinese firm DIHAO Investment Limited. All attempts according to the plaintiff to get the ministry to correct the anomaly have proven futile.

The plaintiff is therefore seeking among other things an order compelling the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry and the Minerals Commission, to renew the prospecting license for the concessional area under contention, and a perpetual injunction restraining the Lands and Natural Resource Ministry, the Minerals Commission, and DIHAO Investment Limited from interfering with the plaintiff’s quiet enjoyment and use of its prospecting licensed area at Kutukrom.

Since the hearing of the case was opened, DIHAO Investment Limited, which was also expected to open its defence has since July 2016, failed to appear in court.

The Tarkwa High Court, presided over by A.A Ofori Atta, closed any opportunity for their defence after the 6th July deadline was issued to them.

The court is however expected to pronounce its ruling on the case when the case is recalled on June 27, 2017.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Mining firm sues Lands Ministry, others over withdrawal of license appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Okobeng Mining, despite the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry directive to halt all small scale mining activities across the country, was seen mining for gold few meters away from the Ankobra River, with a prospecting license at Dwira Dominase in Nzema East Municipal.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Iot99nREc8aXKfG6jTft8XeSuaNAvByk”]Visibly worried, Mr. Amewu, who was leading a high powered government delegation on a two-day visit to some mining sites in the Western Region, questioned the Minerals Commission’s boss Dr. Aubyn about the company’s permit.

Mr. Amewu was shocked to have realized that, the company was mining for gold reserves with a prospecting license.

He bemoaned that “this company has finished mining already and are doing an alleged reclamation with a license that does not allow them to even mine.”

He asked Mr. Aubyn “who gave these people given their prospecting license to operate last two months without my notice? I have been the minister for the past five months, this license was issued last two months, how did it happen without my knowledge?”

Mr. Aubyn suggested that the matter be addressed when the team returns to Accra “because, whichever way it is, it must have been signed by a minster. It could have been signed by the former sector minister”.

But Mr. Amewu insisted he gets to the bottom of the issue by inquiring from the representatives of Okobeng Mining who were present at the site.

He asked one of the site managers, “when did you start working?” After the site manager answered saying, they started mining at the area three months ago, Mr. Amewu asked Dr. Aubyn again of who gave the company the prospecting license to the company.

After he was dissatisfied with his submissions, Mr Amewu directed that “every operation ongoing on the site be seized. He also directed that executives of the company be summoned to Accra to answer questions.

The violation Mr. Amewu expected the Minerals Commission boss to have prevented was the fact that the company had already finished mining at an area where his working permits allowed him to only prospect for gold.

He also questioned the commission on why mining had taken place at the company’s site in less than 30 meters to the main Ankobra River.

He thus ordered the demolition of a security post mounted by 2 ex-service men.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo & Kojo Agyemang/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Amewu ‘grills’ Minerals Commission boss over mining licenses appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Director for Natural Resources at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),  Carl Fiati, if government does not curb illegal mining, Ghana may soon lose all of its water bodies.

“We anticipated this problem long time ago that it’s going to come a time when we continue the way we are going as a country, we are going to destroy all our water bodies and import water for drinking,” Mr. Fiati added.

[contextly_sidebar id=”myrf2lXbUmVtEDHlw9BsOpaxmzfGK0SJ”]The EPA director made the claim on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday following reports of closure of the Abessim water treatment plant in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The Ghana Water Company has said the plant had to be shut down because of the reduction in water levels in the Tano River caused by illegal mining.

The Kyebi Water Treatment plant was also shut down in August 2016 because the water had been rendered untreatable by galamsey.

The galamsey menace continues to serve as a threat to water bodies, aquatic life and agriculture in the country, however several efforts by government including setting up an inter-ministerial taskforce in the previous administration proved futile.

Mr. Fiati explained that the galamsey problem is a very complex one and government must thus “develop a national will to address it.”

No national will in solving galamsey

“It is not a problem EPA alone can solve. The mandate of the EPA is to co-manage the environment so we do it in partnership with all the other sectors. But when it comes to galamsey, it looks like there is no national will to deal with it. We appear to value the gold more than the water we drink and the land on which we farm and our forest. So we have allowed people to go freely and degrade.”

Mr. Fiati observed that in other countries mining areas are blocked “and people only go in when government opens up an area for mining.”

“In this country people can go anywhere and start mining. I am personally unhappy with the situation, I think government must change its way of doing things—get mines closed…so that mining can be properly regulated. That is what is done elsewhere, nobody jumps anywhere and mine it is illegal so if somebody is doing illegal mining he should be arrested and prosecuted,” he added.

When asked how the dangerous effects of galamsey could be resolved, Mr. Fiati said the only way is to arrest, prosecute and jail illegal miners to serve as deterrent to others.

“EPA has specific procedures and processes to ensure that our registered mining entities do their mining activities in an environmentally friendly way. So those that are known to us and are registered with us we regulate, but there are several more people who have gone into mining without the requisite permit so as to do the mining the right way and these people are the illegal or galamsey mining. These people are scattered all over. EPA alone cannot deal with these people. This people are armed, EPA is not armed so we’d need the security agencies, the Ministry of Lands and Forestry, minerals commission and other to work together.”

“EPA cannot bypass these processes and procedures and pretend we are regulating galamsey. We have to make people realize that galamsey is illegal and punishable. And the way to do it is to arrest, prosecute an if possible jail those who do galamsey because the effect of galamsey on the population and the future of this country is far reaching, we cannot compromise with it,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ghana may soon import water over galamsey – EPA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The seven-member committee shall be responsible for submitting proposals to the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission for the utilisation of funds paid into the account.

The membership of the committee, which is drawn from the Minerals Commission and the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has Mr Amponsah Tawiah, Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines, as Chairman.

Other members are Mr Emmanuel Afreh, Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation; Mr Collins Anim-Sackey, Deputy Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation – Member/Secretary; and Mr Francis Eduku, Vice President and Head of Human Resources of Gold Fields.

The rest are Ms. Jane-Frances Nyuagl, Principal Finance Officer; S. H. Ampofo-Kwabiah, Principal Inspector of Mines; and Ms. Akua Sarpong-Menu, Legal Officer.

In line with the mining sector localisation programme under the Minerals and Mining (General) Regulations, 2012, provision is made for the recruitment of expatriates, training of Ghanaians and preference for local products for which companies are required to comply with their respective localisation programme approved by the Commission.

Again, under the Regulation, any person who fails to comply with the localisation programme is required to pay to the Commission a penalty.

Pursuant to this, the Commission is required, under the Regulation, to establish an account into which the penalty should be paid for training of Ghanaians for employment in the mining sector.

Mr Toni Aubynn, the Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission, during the inauguration, tasked the committee to ensure that the provisions achieved the desired intent of benefiting Ghanaian workers and local producers in the mining industry.

He expressed the hope that the Committee would discharge its duties to ensure that Ghana deepened the local content drive in the minerals and mining sector.

Mr Amponsah Tawiah, on behalf of members, pledged to work diligently to ensure that Ghanaians took advantage to build their capacity to take their place in the mining industry.

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Source: GNA

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Mining companies have complained about the high cost of operating thermal power and the discomfort that comes with it.

Speaking to Citi Business News Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Dr. Tony Aubynn said the move is part of processes to reduce the burden on the national grid and reduce their cost of operation.

“Many of the companies are now looking at renewable energy sources because of the cost of thermal based energy resources. Most of them are looking at even their own generation as they mix with what is available from government so I believe that it will become part of their energy status. We are going to combine the renewable bit and in fact the chamber of mines is actively investigating that option,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Chamber of Mines early this year stated that mining companies would soon be resorting to renewable energy sources to meet their energy needs as part of processes to reduce burden on the national grid and reduce their cost of operation.

It followed the Energy Commission’s announcement of plans it has initiated plans to begin full implementation of the initiative before the end of the year.

The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Sulemanu Konney also stated that the development will facilitate the processes to meet the country’s energy mix by 2020.

“Companies are actually considering it seriously before long we are to see the companies taking the commercial decision to actually get some of their power from renewable sources,” Mr. Konney stated.

The move was to further reduce pressure on the national grid.

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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post Mining firms adopt renewable energy to reduce costs appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.