Management of Xtra Gold Ghana Mining Limited has insisted that the company is not engaged in illegality in its operation contrary to claims by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor.
According to the company, it has all legitimate documents to mine gold adding that, they are mining the mineral according to the dictates of the regulations.
The company has debunked claims that its operations destroying water bodies and forest reserves.
Secretary in charge of Kate Mining Company working on one of the five concessions of the Xtra Gold mining company at Akyem Pameng, Nana Asante Boadi, speaking to the media, said the company complies with all laid down laws governing mining activities in the country.
Some military personnel on Sunday, May 16, 2021, set ablaze 8 excavators, a bulldozer, and dozens of water pumping machines. At least three of the excavators and a bulldozer were brand new machines being used for reclamation.
Detailing the losses, Nana Asante said the military personnel, on Sunday, burnt seven excavators, two bulldozers, five generators, 150 small pumping machines, 250 gallons of diesel among others.
He said the military returned Monday to burn a faulty bulldozer which escaped their notice and large water pumping machines.
He said monitors from the Minerals Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other regulatory bodies constantly visit their site to check on their activities. He wondered why anybody will claim that the company is engaged in illegalities when it is the same state agencies that gave them the mining permit to continue with their activities.
“Even just a few weeks ago, three armed forces personnel visited this site and appreciated the work we do over here urging us to continue because we are mining properly,” he told the media yesterday.
Court case
The company has, however, served notice that it intends to institute legal action against the government. Ernest Kumi, the spokesperson for the General Manager of Xtra Gold Ghana, Kate Gyamfua of the NPP, told the media that the action by the officials deployed to clamp down on illegal mining activities is in breach of laws governing the mining sector and also in contravention of directives issued by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
“Madam Kate Gyamfua will use all legal means to defend her right and her company as a citizen,” he told the media.
Mr. Kumi also revealed that Ms. Gyamfua will continue to engage government and responsible sector ministers of state to ensure the right thing is done.
Operations
Meanwhile, a visit to the mining site of Xtra Gold by this paper disclosed that there is no major river body or forest reserve within the concession of the company. The biggest river in the area, River Birim, is about 30 minutes’ drive away from the concession while the major forest reserve in the area, the Atewa Range Forest, is about one kilometer away.
This paper, during the visit, also saw that the company had dug about five small dug-outs (dams) where it conserves water for its operations. Already mined areas within the concession were also seen to have been reclaimed by the company.
Mr. Asante insisted that due to the strict precautionary measures laid down by Xtra Gold incorporation, which is a multilateral mining firm with headquarters in Canada, the Ghanaian subsidiary could not engage in any illegalities. This is because, according to him, any such move will tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the company and will therefore not be countenanced.
“You can see how we work here, we have our dams, and we don’t pollute any water body. We reclaim the lands after mining. It is therefore mind-blogging for some of us to have witnessed what happened here over the weekends. There’s a huge visual difference between a galamsey site and a proper mining site and you can see this for yourself,” Nana Asante said.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
