Tension in Talensi as group questions mining firm managed by ‘drug barons’

The loss of lives and property in the Talensi mining community of Gbane in the Upper East Region is set to worsen in the coming days, according to civil society, as some individuals and groups are plotting “mayhem through acts of militancy and war”.

Describing the situation as volatile, the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), a civil society organization, is calling on government to intervene.

In a statement released on Monday, NORPRA wants a thorough investigation into the operations of Cassius Mining Limited.

It alleges that the directors of the mining company have criminal records and that is against the laws of Ghana.

It mentioned directors such as Radwin Elhassan, Anthony Upul Samantha, Anthony Joseph Karam and James Arkoudis as having serious criminal records.

“In a cross check, NORPRA established that as at 10th May, 2016 these very names of Australian nationals were the same names that appeared in official records of the Registrar-General Department of Ghana as Directors of Cassius Mining Limited.

“Surprisingly, our latest check dated 5th of March, 2019 showed that some of these names have been replaced as Directors and made shareholders of Cassius Mining Ltd,” the statement signed by Executive Director of NORPRA Bismark Adongo Ayorogo said.

NORPRA wants government to find out the extent to which due diligence was done to register the company and “apply sanctions where necessary to individuals and organisations who may be found culpable”.

It observes that there has been an ascendancy in crime in the community and that may be due to the activities of hoodlums in the area.

“NORPRA is by this statement therefore calling on the government to, as a matter of urgency, probe into the matter and save the mining community from likely influence of these persons alleged to have been convicted by courts of competent jurisdiction on crimes of hard drugs and many more others.”