I only granted Exton Cubic Group permit for forest entry - Sir John

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has denied reports that he granted a mining permit to Exton Cubic Group Limited to mine bauxite at Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.

“I only granted permit for forest entry and not to mine. Permission to mine is done by the Minerals Commission but as far as I am concerned, they met the necessary processes in my outfit that is how come they were given the permit. As they enter the forest, they may cut down some trees while creating roads and others so the claims that Sir John is permitting people to mine is flawed”, he revealed on Accra-based Oman FM.

He insists he acted within the remits of the law and also denied claims that the matter was pending before a court but he defied the consequences and went ahead to grant the permit to the company believed to be owned by the brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama.

“They had the requisite documents to go there. I will always stand by the truth…… If it is not good I will speak against it. People must stop the propaganda in the entire issue……..I gave the permit before the matter was taken to Court.It was granted to them on the 20th of June but the matter was taken to court in August….the documents are clear and there for everyone to see”, he explained.

According to Exton Cubic Group Limited which legally acquired the Nyinahini Bauxite concession as far back as August 14, 2013, it had engaged Engineers and Planners (E&P), a company owned by Mr. Mahama, to use its equipment to undertake a prospective service.

But some irate youth believed to be organized by the District Chief Executive of Atwima Mponua on Monday prevented Engineers & Planners – affiliated to Exton Cubic – from depositing mining equipment at the Nyinahini bauxite concession in the Tano Offin reserve.