Hansol And Affiliate Companies Accuse DCE Of Extorting 70,000 Ghana Cedis From It To Protect It From The Activities Task Force

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.