Investors Demand $10 million From Govt

Dozens of bulldozers, excavators and other heavy earth moving equipment belonging to five multinational mining companies operating in the country will soon tear apart several thousand hectares forest reserves in the Ashanti, Western and Eastern Regions of Ghana if the government gives them the green light to haul out what they describe as rich deposits of gold beneath the ancient forest reserves.

According to the miners, they discovered the staggering volumes of gold deposits beneath the lush green forests when the Rawlings government gave them free rein to scavenge the forest reserves for gold. But the government then did not live up to its word of giving them the go-ahead to exploit the gold once they make a discovery. “After the exploratory exercise in the forest reserves, we told the then NDC government that we had found economically viable mineral resources in the forest reserves and we needed permits to enable us go into actual gold mining by the surface mining method.

But for some strange reason they decided to play hardball with us till they left office. Now the NDC is no more and we want the present government to grant us permits to throw out the trees and the animals in the forest reserves to make way for full-scale surface mining operations. Fact is collectively, we spent over 10 million dollars in the reconnaissance and prospecting exercise and we have to recoup our money” the miners disclosed.

Mr Ben Aryee, Chief Executive of the Minerals commission confirmed in recent interactions that five companies has indicated to the commission that their exploration investment in the forest reserves ha identified economically viable mineral resources and they were requesting for mining leases to enable them move into actual mining. He however explained that the issue was currently before cabinet. Further discussions with Mr Edward Nsenkyire, Chief Director of the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology (MEST) also indicated that MEST was yet to prepare a report on the issue for the attention of cabinet.

Mr Nsenkyire disclosed that the Environment Minister, Prof. Dominic Fobih had just returned from a field trip together with Mr Kwadjo Adjei Darko, Minister of Mines and Prof. Kassim Kasanga Minister of Lands and Forestry. “The three of them visited the forest reserves to see things for themselves and I believe they will be briefing Cabinet soon”, he said.