Ibrahim Mahama, CEO of Engineers and Planners
A statement from Ibrahim Mahama’s quarters has indicated that Exton Cubic Group Limited, the mining company in the centre of the recent Nyinahini Bauxite Concession saga is operating on a prospecting license making the statement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission flawed.
The statement signed by Rafik Mahama, Communications Aide to Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, debunked the EPA’s claims, describing them as untrue and not supported by the evidence available, adding that the EPA and the Minerals Commission should have done proper checks instead of acting on rumor.
“The statement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission are flawed. Exton Cubic is not engaged in mining. They're prospecting and the prospecting permit was issued by the EPA on 07/06/2016. It's regrettable the two state institutions acted based on a Newspaper publication (Daily Guide). The PRO of EPA shouldn't have acted based on hearsay they should have visited the site and confirm if any prospecting law was broken. Prospecting has been going on since 2016 and the permit will expire in 2018,” they said.
The statement explained that Exton Cubic has been collaborating with stakeholders in the mining sector for about 4 years, complying with all procedures leading to their attainment for a mining lease.
They suggested that the “Minerals Commission will not give a Mining lease to a Company if you don't submit your Prospecting permit.” A step that has already been taken by the Exton Cubic Group.
A prospecting license according to Ghana’s Mining Portal, “gives the holder the exclusive right to search for specific minerals (or commodities) by conducting geological, geophysical and geochemical investigations to determine the extent and economic value of any deposit within the license area.”
It adds that “Drilling, excavation or other sub-surface techniques are permitted under the prospecting license. The initial grant of the license is limited to three years and a maximum area of 750 contiguous blocks or 157.5 km².”
The EPA in a statement earlier suggested that Exton Cubic Group is not permitted to operate at the Nyinahini Bauxite Concession as they did not complete some requirements needed to gain the prospecting license.
“The EPA will like to clarify the position of the Exton Cubi Group Limited’s Environmental permit status under the Mining Lease. Exton Cubic Group has not obtained the required EPA permit under its mining lease and therefore any attempt to enter the area for mining activity is illegal,” it read.
“On 29th March 2016, Exton Cubic Group Limited applied for three separate Environmental Permits from the EPA to undertake prospecting of bauxite on its Mprasaso, Kiriyaso, and Kyekyewere concessions in the Ashanti Region covering a total of 346.08 km sq. The EPA granted the Environmental Permits to Exton Cubic Group Limited on 7th June 2016.
“The company among other conditions was to notify the EPA as soon as prospecting activities commenced, and also to submit within three months from the date of issuance of the Environmental Permit a liability estimate of environmental degradation to enable the posting of the Reclamation Bond in line with Regulation 23 of the Environmental Assessment Regulation 1999 (LI 1652). Exton Cubic Group Limited, unfortunately, reneged on all these conditions. This, therefore, means that the prospecting permits are no longer valid," the statement added.
However, the statement from Ibrahim Mahama's quarters also debunked the EPAs claim that Exton Cubic Group failed to adhere to some instructions rendering their prospecting license null and void.
“Exton Cubic has applied for the permit to start mining. The first letter was sent to EPA on 20/03/2017 and a second request was sent on 18/07/2017 after EPA failed to respond to the March 20 letter. For that matter, it's flawed for the EPA PRO to state that Exton Cubic failed to write to them for a mining permit,” they explained.
They added that the Exton Cubic Group cannot be told to stop mining since the company has not started mining yet describing the Ashanti Regional Minister's seizure of the E&P’s trucks as “an attempt to whip up sentiments against the company”.
“Also, it's flawed for the two institutions to ask Exton Cubic to stop mining because such thing is not happening. Exton Cubic is only prospecting and not mining. The Company has a prospecting permit from all the agencies last year and is due to expire in 2018,” they noted.
“Let's support our own. The attempt by certain individuals especially the Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP to whip up sentiments against the company by organizing his boys in the area to undermine Exton Cubic will surely not see the light of day,” they said.
Please read the full statement below:
EPA and Minerals Commission statements Against Exton and it Subcontractor E&P is unfair.
It's important to state that, Exton Cubic or E&P are not afraid of competition. They have the capacity as indigenous Ghanaian company to venture into that sector. The projects will create millions of jobs in the country when successful implemented.
Brief Facts About the Process:
1. The statement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission are flawed. Exton Cubic is not engaged in mining. They're prospecting and the prospecting permit was issued by the EPA on 07/06/2016.
2. It's regrettable the two state institutions acted base on a Newspaper publication (Daily Guide). They should have visited the site and confirm if any prospecting law was broken. Mind you, prospecting has been going on since 2016. The permit will expire in 2018.
3. The PRO of EPA shouldn't have acted based on hear say. Exton Cubic has applied for the permit to start mining. The first letter was send to EPA on 20/03/2017 and a second request was sent on 18/07/2017 after EPA failed to respond to the March 20 letter. For that matter, it's flawed for the EPA PRO to state that Exton Cubic failed to write to them for mining permit.
4. Also, it's flawed for the two institutions to asked Exton Cubic to stop mining because such thing is not happening. Exton Cubic is only prospecting and not mining. Mind you, the company has a prospecting permit from all the agencies last year and is due to expire in 2018.
5. Exton Cubic has been cooperating with all the state institutions in the mining sector for almost 4 years now. It has complied with all the lay down processes leading to the granting of the Mining lease. Mind you, Minerals Commission will not give a Mining lease to a Company if you don't submit your Prospecting permit. This was done by Exton Cubic before the lease was granted.
6. Also, the Forestry Commission granted the Exton Cubic forest entry permit after permits for due diligence and prospecting permit were granted by the EPA.
7. E&P were subcontracted to work on the site. This is because, in that sector, E&P is the best we have in this country since 2005.
8. E&P has a success story with Goldfields Ghana since 2002 to date. They also have a success story with ArcelorMittal in Liberia.
10. Exton Cubic submitted a detailed plan on the Aluminum project/factory at Nyinahin before the Mining lease was granted.
11. The Chiefs and opinion leaders at Nyinahin has been involved in the processes leading to the granting of the Mining lease. Mind you, all the three(3) traditional stools in the Nyinahin area were involved in the process and they were all satisfied with the mission and vision of the Exton Cubic Group Limited.
12. We expect the various institutions and sector Ministers and the Regional Minister to amicable resolve the differences that arose as a result of communication lapses.
Let's support our own. The attempt by certain individuals especially the Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP to whip up sentiments against the company by organizing his boys in the area to undermine Exton Cubic will surely not see the light of day.
We believe the President will always support the private sector especially indigenous businesses to be the best among their competitors across Ghana and Africa.
Signed: Rafik Mahama
Communications Aide to Ibrahim Mahama
