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Samuel Abu Jinapor, the minister of lands and natural resources, has addressed the President’s remarks on Akonta Mining.
He said that the President’s statement concerning the company was really an assurance that Akonta Mining was not currently involved in any illegal mining at the time he made it.
At the 28th National and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association on Wednesday in Koforidua, President Akufo-Addo exonerated the mining company of any wrongdoing.
The President claims that the company is not currently engaging in any criminal activity.
“I want to assure you all that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any form of illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak,” he stated.
An inquiry into whether the business, which belongs to NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman Wontumi, was operating in the Tano Nimiri forest reserve without a permit or lease is still underway.
Some stakeholders, notably the convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, who seemed disappointed, have expressed concern over this claim.
However, Samuel Jinapor, the sector minister, claims that the remark does not free Akonta mining of any responsibility and that his organization is collaborating with the Special Prosecutor on the situation.
“The President was not speaking about the wrongdoing or otherwise of Akonta Mining in the past, the criminality or otherwise of Akonta Mining in the past. He was not commenting on what happened in the past. He was giving an assurance of the state of affairs as of the time he was addressing the conference.”
He spoke outside of a meeting with Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Military High Command.
The Minister hinted that the President’s efforts in the battle against the canker deserve praise.
The government has also reevaluated its approach to battling illicit mining throughout the nation.
This comes with the promise of keeping up the pressure to punish those responsible for destroying Ghana’s forests and waterways.
Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor told the media following a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Military High Command that the new measures will shortly be implemented and made public.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
