The government has revoked three mining leases of Adamus Resources Ltd, located in the Western Region, with immediate effect.
The revocation of the Akango, Salman, and Nkroful mining leases of the company followed investigations conducted by the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission that established systematic and regulatory violations of the mining laws.
Subsequently, the military has been deployed to protect the assets of the mine, while mining continues seamlessly in the interest of the state.
At a media briefing held in Accra on Monday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, explained that following routine inspections by the commission, it was established that Adamus Resources had unlawfully assigned portions of its mineral rights to third parties without prior ministerial consent, a development that violated Section 14 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
"The findings discovered systematic and flagrant violations of Ghana's mining laws, prompting the commission to recommend the revocation of the company's mining leases and the prosecution of the company and its directors under the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995),” he added.
Findings
Mr Tandoh said the company released three out of four concession areas for mining operations outside its approved mining areas and without access to its processing infrastructure.
"No mineral resources or reserves were defined in the released areas to justify any legally sanctioned contract mining operations.
"On the Akango concession, clearing had been completed for the commencement of mining operations, with three excavators and one bulldozer operational during the site inspection.
"Foreign nationals, specifically Chinese nationals, were engaged in illegal mining activities at a site located several kilometres from Adamus' mine infrastructure, with no access road to the company’s processing plant, contravening Section 99 (5) (a) and (b) of Act 995," he said.
Mr Tandoh added that the investigative team also observed that clearing had been done for the installation of a processing plant and the commencement of mining operations by Salman.
"Eight excavators and one bulldozer were observed undertaking preparatory earthworks.
Here too, Chinese nationals without permits were engaged in operations at a site more than four kilometres from Adamus' mine site, with no direct access to the company's mine infrastructure," he said.
Mr Tandoh added that the mining activities were substandard, environmentally destructive, and inconsistent with accepted industry practices, causing significant environmental degradation, including land disturbance and risks to water bodies.
The chief executive said the commission would not condone the abuse of mineral rights, the destruction of the environment, or the subversion of the country's laws under the guise of investments.
He said the commission would not countenance a situation where foreign operators were used to perpetrate illegal mining under the cover of a lease.
"Companies that act with impunity, disregard regulatory authority, and endanger our land, water, and communities will face the full rigours of these same laws," Mr Tandoh added.
“I want to state here that Ghana welcomes responsible investment; but the era of impunity, where leases are used to facilitate galamsey and foreign nationals operate without authorisation is over,” he stressed.
Mr Tandoh, however, assured workers of the company that the government would ensure their jobs were safeguarded.
He said a transition team would be constituted to oversee the operations of the company until such time that due process would be followed to get a new operator for the mine.
Source: Graphic Online
