{"id":321507,"date":"2017-05-22T18:09:45","date_gmt":"2017-05-22T18:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=321507"},"modified":"2017-05-22T18:09:45","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T18:09:45","slug":"small-scale-mining-company-shut-down-russian-ukrainian-operators-arrested","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/05\/small-scale-mining-company-shut-down-russian-ukrainian-operators-arrested\/","title":{"rendered":"Small-scale mining company shut down; Russian, Ukrainian operators arrested"},"content":{"rendered":"
Following a tour of some mining sites, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, has ordered the foreign-operated Geo Professional Services to shut down with immediate effect.<\/p>\n
The Minister has also ordered the arrest of the foreigners involved, including two Russians and two Ukrainians.<\/p>\n
The mining firm was found to be using licenses of three local mining companies to mine at Tontokrom in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The company is to reclaim all disturbed lands and provide evidence to the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission of the restoration.<\/p>\n The company was issued with the “stop work order” by the Inspection Directorate of the Minerals Commission on May 18 but disregarded directives and continued mining.<\/p>\n The firm has mined 500 acres of land instead of 75 acres originally permitted by the Minerals Commission.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The company said it had a small scale mining license, but Mr. Amewu, in an exchange of words with the foreign miners, retorted that \u201cwhat you are doing here has nothing to do with the small scale. You are destroying the environment and polluting the water bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust behind your door, you saw the pollution of the water bodies and this is clearly a concession meant for small scale mining. You are engaged in this as foreigners but I don\u2019t think this will happen in your country,\u201d Mr. Amewu said.<\/p>\n