Akonta mining: Akufo-Addo assures that all 294 forest reserves are protected – Jinapor
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sought to assure the entire country that all forest reserves in the country are protected from illegal mining activities (Galamsey) by commenting that Akonta Mining is not involved in galamsey, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. , Samuel Abu Jinapor has said.
President Akufo-Addo has cleared Akonta Mining Company Limited of wrongdoing, insisting that the Company is not involved in illegal mining anywhere in Ghana.
In his comments after concerns about the threat arose at the 28th and 16th biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association held in Koforidua, he said “Let me respond briefly to the chairman on the issue of illegal mining. .
“I want to assure him and all of you that Akonta Mining is not involved in illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak.
“Furthermore, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has through the agency of the Forestry Commission with the help of the military working on all 294 forest reserve sites in the country and getting rid of illegal mining as we speak.”
President Akufo-Addo responded to the concerns presented by the chairman of the event, Ing. Ken Ashigbey, about Akunta Mining Company Limited violating the law to mine in Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western North Region.
Despite having a mining lease, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in October 2022 stopped Akonta Mining Company Limited, owned by the Ashanti Region Chairman of the New Patriotic Party Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, from mining in the forest reserve.
The matter is being investigated by the Special Prosecutor.
President Akufo-Addo reiterated his government’s commitment to “win the war against galamsey no matter the cost”.
Responding to concerns that the President could protect the company, Mr. Jinapor told journalists in Accra that “First of all, I think it is very important that the President responds to the request of the Chairman of the General Diocesan Clergy Association. The biennial conference Mr. Ken Ashigbey. Mr. Ashiebey in his words has appealed to the President to speaking on the Issue of Akonta Mining, and so, the President seeks to respond and guarantee the conference and for the country. So, the President’s comments are really a guarantee for the conference and the country. What is the guarantee?
“The President said, when he said, Akonta Mining does not participate in illegal mining activities in any reserve forest and indeed, the President went further to assure the country that according to the instructions, the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission. have actually cordoned off 294 reserve forests in the country we, he also said but for some reason, that has been taken out of the discourse.
“But the president gave more assurances that Akonta Mining is not only involved in illegal mining activities in any forest reserve, but has also implemented measures to protect the 294 forest reserves in our country from attacks by illegal miners. So the President is not talking about wrongdoing or otherwise from Akonta Mining in the past, the criminality of Akonta Mining or others, he did not comment on past events, he gave assurances about the situation. affairs as when he spoke at the conference, which is a statement of fact.
“For me, I think the President should be praised, the government should be praised that we have come to a situation where we can say with confidence that we are protecting our country’s reserve Forests, which is what the President actually said.”
Asked if the President has been taken out of context, Mr. Jinapor replied “I am not sure about ‘he was taken out of context or not’ because it is really clear, what he said, there is no ambiguity, he will only take, with most of the chapter, a mischievous person to pretend that there is some ambiguity in what the President said. The President gave assurances after some concerns expressed by one of the speakers at the conference.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
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