We did not burn Wontumi’s excavators - Inusah Fuseini

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has denied burning excavators belonging to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi.

According to him, Wontumi’s excavators were rather confiscated and sent to the Western Regional Coordinating Council, although he did not state exactly what they were used for.

He explained that Wontumi was supposed to provide mine support service (Rent out equipment to licensed miners) but did not have the authority to mine himself, hence the confiscation of his excavators.

“I did not burn any excavators. It was Wontumi that sent us to court that we burnt his excavators. The case was being defended when we left the government and it was defended again because we did not burn any excavators,” he said.

Chairman Wontumi, who is Head of HANSOL Mining Limited, was reportedly attacked by a task force set up by the NDC government back in 2013.

At the time, HANSOL was accused of bringing in Chinese nationals to illegally mine the land, a charge it denied. But the task force reportedly ransacked its premises, and made away with money, gold and other valuables and then burned the place.

According to Wontumi, his 500 excavators were seized and burnt by the NDC, which led to the collapse of his multi-million-dollar gold mining business.

He sent the matter to court after which he allegedly secured a judgement debt to a tune of $1bn.

But speaking with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini denied that Wontumi won the case, saying that, “When we were in power, we defended the case, directed the Attorney General to defend the case, but when we left, the state showed no interest and admitted liability and paid him, we did not burn anybody’s excavator.”

He said Wontumi’s excavators were not burnt because burning excavators pollutes the air.

When asked why they did not show the excavators to Wontumi for him to know that indeed his excavators were not burnt, he said, “It is a policy of protecting the environment. How can burning of excavators be considered as protecting the environment? Because when you burn the excavators, it pollutes the air.”