Hansol And Affiliate
Companies Accuse DCE Of Extorting 70,000
Ghana Cedis From It To Protect It From The Activities Task Force
By Awal Mohammed
Hansol and Affiliate
companies have accused the DCE, of
Asankragua of extorting an amount of 70,000 Ghana cedis from it through the NDC
Chairman of Asankragua under the pretext of safeguarding their operation area
from the activities of a inter-ministerial task force.
According to Mr. Edward
Kwasi Akuoko who is In-Charge of Public Relation for Hansol, there were some
unscrupulous persons within some of the state security agencies who have no
role in the Inter-ministerial task force have taken undue advantage of the
exercise to rob its sites all in the name of a national exercise.
He also noted that just
recently an official, who claimed to be working with the Bureau of National
Investigation (BNI) by name Otuo Acheampong visited the Company CEO's house in
the Bosomtwe district of Ashanti at about 7:00pm, and told residence that he
has been authorized from 'above' to set its two excavators ablaze if he is not
shown documentation covering their operation.
"The task force on
18th March, 2013 raided our sites in the Ashanti Region, made away with some
kilos of gold worth $450,000, some cash, and 10 pick-up vehicles and finally
set some equipment including two excavators ablaze" he said. Although they
reported the matter to the police, nothing concrete was heard from them he
noted. "A petition to that effect
was subsequently sent to the government through the Attorney General, and copied
to other relevant Ministries by our
solicitors, but no avail" he said.
Mr.Akuoko also asserted
that about a week ago the task force led by the District Chief Executive of
Asankragua raided the Akonta Mine site which is a large mining concession where
Hansol is providing service support and made away with cash running into
millions, ceased equipments and pick up vehicles and finally torched the
structures. " This followed an extortion of 70,000 Ghana cedis from the
company" he reiterated.
He also lamented how the task force's activities
and excessive use of force has generally led to the perceived demonization of
the industry without any mention of the benefits to the state thus drawing no
line of distinction between Galamsey ( considered illegal) and small scale
operations ( considered legal).
"Such unilateral display of excessive
force and needles exuberance used during such operations has generally led to a
perceived demonization of the industry in the eyes of most Ghanaians and
International community without any mention of benefits to the state" he
pointed.
According to him their
company ( Hansol and affiliate companies) has contributed immensely towards
employment generation in Ghana and the overall development of the state, as
they continue to build new schools and renovate old ones, construct bore-holes, feeder roads, hospitals among
other things for their host communities.
The task force was
inaugurated by the President on the14th of May,2013 is a five-member
inter-ministerial taskforce to fight against illegal small scale mining
(galamsey) throughout the mining areas of the country. The members are made up
of: Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Chairman;
Mr Mark Woyongo, Minister for Defence, member; Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister for
Interior, member; Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister for Environment, Science,
Technology and Innovation, member and Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister for Foreign
Affairs, member.
The taskforce would
among other responsibilities seize all the equipment the illegal miners use,
arrest and prosecute both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians engaged in small scale
illegal mining, deport all non-Ghanaians engaged in the practice and revoke
licenses of Ghanaians who have sub-leased their concessions to non-Ghanaians.
They would also hold Metropolitan, Municipal and District chief executives and district security councils accountable for any illegal mining activity in their areas of jurisdictions among other responsibilities.
They would also hold Metropolitan, Municipal and District chief executives and district security councils accountable for any illegal mining activity in their areas of jurisdictions among other responsibilities.
