Okobeng Mining cleared over illegal mining

Investigations by Today has established that local mining giant, Okobeng Mining Company, is not involved in illegal mining, contrary to some media reports.

Okobeng is a legitimate mining company with the relevant certification from the Ghana Minerals Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other authorised State institutions.

Some media outlets and online portals earlier this week reported that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, ordered the mining firm to halt any mining activities at Domenase in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.

The supposed order was given by the minister during his tour of some mining areas in the Western Region as part of the fight against illegal mining (galamsey).

However, according to official accounts, the supposed order was never given in the first place.

Documents in possession of Today clearly establish that Okobeng is not engaged in any act that contravenes the mining laws of the country.

The real facts

It is palpably false that a prospective mining license was given to the mining company two months ago.

According to our checks at the Minerals Commission, the prospective license was rather issued in August 2016, which was followed by authorisation by the EPA on December 6, 2016 for the mining company to do prospecting on the said mining concession.

This also means that the two major requirements that a company needs to meet before starting legal mining were duly met and adhered to by Okobeng Mining. Secondly, the claim that Okobeng has been mining 30 metres to the River Ankobra for the last two months is baseless and unfounded.

Further investigation reveals Okobeng has not even started any prospecting on the said concession let alone mine 30 meters to the River Ankobra.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Nana Okobeng, declined to comment on the matter, even though his company has been exonerated, saying his lawyers have advised him not to speak to the media on the issue.

Okobeng Mining embarked on several social intervention projects in the area as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Some of the beneficiaries include Fiaseman Secondary School, St Augustine’s Secondary School at Bogoso and Tarkwa Secondary School.

It has also embarked on a number of projects in the Prestea Huney-Valley District.

The CEO of the company is also a well-known philanthropist in the area and has been supporting needy and brilliant students with scholarships. Further investigation revealed the Okobeng Mining Company in line with the government’s commitment to fighting ‘galamsey’ and to protect water bodies and the environment, has single-handedly been battling illegal miners engaged in shallow mining which has direct and immediate effect on the environment.

The CEO with support of NADMO recently engaged the services of 20 ex-servicemen to battle illegal miners including some Chinese nationals.

The move was to prevent the illegal miners from destroying the River Ankobra which is one of the largest rivers in the Western Region of Ghana.

The company has demonstrated its commitment to help government fight illegal mining but will also ensure that local businessmen engaged in lawful enterprise would not be victimised.