The suspects
It has emerged that the four Chinese nationals who were recently arrested by the Asankragua Divisional Police Command in the Western Region for illegal mining were working for the Paramount Chief of Wassa Amanfi Traditional Area, Nana Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II.
The Chinese illegal miners, popularly known as galamsey operators, until their arrest, had been mining at large portions of the alluvial mining site located at Wassa Akropong for the past ten months.
They were said to have been sent there to work on the land by Nana Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, after the original owners of the concessions, Perseus Mining Company, relinquished their stakes on the land and ceded it to Bongo and Kobby Mining Group.
While the Bongo and Kobby Mining Group, two Ghanaian small-scale mining companies, were working on their documentations with the Minerals Commission, the chief sent the foreigners to the Wassa Akropong area to mine for gold ore on his behalf, culminating in their arrest last week.
Chief’s Intervention
But in a sharp response, the chief who is considered untouchable and the power broker of the area allegedly ordered for the release of the four Chinese from custody and they still remain free men.
The Asankragua Divisional Police Commander, Michael Awummey, confirmed the arrest of the four Chinese nationals to DAILY GUIDE but denied having been ordered by the chief to grant them bail.
Though the police chief told the paper that the Chinese nationals were caterpillar engineers and were sent to the mining site for repair works, he was heard on tape pleading with the Chief Executive Officer of Bongo and Kobby Mining Group, Robert Dzamesi, to have the case settled amicably out of court.
Mr Awummey admitted on tape that the Paramount Chief of Wassa Amanfi Traditional Area prevailed on him for the release of the Chinese since they were working for him, and therefore wanted Mr Dzamesi to drop the case against them for negotiation and settlement.
Nana Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II would not talk to DAILY GUIDE on the matter despite a text message informing him about the scope of the interview. He failed to answer phone calls from the paper.
Background
In July 2015, Bongo and Kobby Mining Group secured the concession from Perseus Mining Company, which originally owned the land at Wassa Akropong for rock mining.
Mr Robert Dzamesi said the Minerals Commission gave his company the first option to acquire the concession after Perseus Mining Company ceded its interest because the site was alluvial.
According to him, the Chinese men were found at four out of the nine sites for which his company had paid all legal fees while documentations were underway at the Minerals Commission.
The Minerals Commission Officer in charge of Small-Scale Mining, Mr Kofi Tetteh, confirmed the Bongo and Kobby Mining Group CEO’s assertion and added that what was left for the company to commence business was the release of final certification.
