The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has strongly refuted claims of dishonesty and misinformation in a report published by the Fourth Estate.
The report focused on remarks made by the Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, regarding the issuance of mining permits in forest reserves. The Ministry’s response, issued in an official statement, highlighted several inaccuracies in the report and seeks to clarify the Minister’s statements made in Parliament.
“Although the questioner did not ask for the names of the companies, the Hon. Minister, in the spirit of transparency, named all the companies that have been issued with Forest Entry Permits and the dates they were issues.”
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
The Ministry of Lands highlighted that the Minister’s response specifically stated that only two of these companies, Chirano Gold Mines and Koantwi Mining Company Ltd., were actively involved in mining operations at the time.
The Ministry of Lands noted that the other companies were still in the process of securing additional permits and authorizations required to commence operations, as confirmed by records from the Minerals Commission.
One of the major points of contention raised by the Fourth Estate’s report was the allegation that Koantwi Mining Company Ltd. did not possess an Environmental Permit when the Minister responded to the question in Parliament.
However, the Ministry categorically denied this claim, providing detailed documentation to support its rebuttal.
The Ministry clarified that Koantwi Mining Company Ltd. was granted a Mining Lease on September 22, 2020, for operations in the Anhwiaso East Forest Reserve.
“Koantwi Co. Ltd was granted a Mining Lease over an area of the Anhwiaso East Forest Reserve at Merewa on 22nd September, 2020 for a term of twelve (12) years. The Lease was subsequently ratified by Parliament on 22nd December, 2020.
“Subsequent to the grant of the Mining Lease and its ratification by Parliament, on 18th May, 2022, Koantwi Mining Company Ltd applied for a Forest Entry Permit to enter the Forest for the purposes of undertaking its mining operation.”
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
The Ministry described the claim that Koantwi Mining Company did not have an Environmental Permit at the time of the Minister’s parliamentary response as “palpably false.”
The controversy began with a question posed by the Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu, on February 23, 2023. The question, directed at the Lands Minister, sought to ascertain how many companies had been granted permits to mine in forest reserves from 2017 to 2022.
According to the Ministry, this question was interpreted as referring to Forest Entry Permits, which are issued by the Forestry Commission, a body under the Ministry, before mining activities in forest reserves can proceed.
Hon. Samuel Jinapor, in his response in Parliament, disclosed that since 2017, a total of six Forest Entry Permits had been issued for mining in forest reserves.
Misinterpretation of the Minister’s Statement on Mining in Forest Reserves
Another significant inaccuracy in the Fourth Estate’s report was related to the Minister’s stance on mining activities in forest reserves.
According to the report, the Minister was quoted as stating that mining in forest reserves was prohibited except under exceptional circumstances.
However, the Ministry pointed out that this was a misrepresentation. The Minister had clarified that reconnaissance, prospecting, and exploration activities in forest reserves had been suspended since April 2021, except under exceptional circumstances, as part of broader efforts to curb illegal mining.
The Ministry emphasized that mining in forest reserves has long been permitted, with companies such as Newmont Golden Ridge Ltd, Anglogold Ashanti (Iduapriem) Ltd, and others conducting operations in forest reserves for decades.
The suspension announced in 2021 applied only to exploration and prospecting, not to active mining, a distinction the Ministry deemed critical.
“The suspension of reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploration in Forest Reserves, except in exceptional circumstances, formed part of measures adopted to clamp down on illegal mining in Forest Reserves.
“While there still exists some challenges, this suspension, together with several other measures put in place by the Ministry have contributed to the protection of our Forest Reserves, with Ghana becoming one of the few countries, globally, to record a reduction in the rate of forest loss, last year.”
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
In further refuting the Fourth Estate’s report, the Ministry provided detailed records of mining leases granted between 1992 and 2016, contradicting the claim that only five companies were granted leases in forest reserves during that period.
Among these companies were Golden Star (Wassa) Ltd., Ghana Bauxite Company Ltd., Mensin Gold Bibiani Ltd., and others. The Ministry noted that several of these leases had been renewed in line with the Minerals and Mining Act of 2006 and its regulations.
The Ministry underscored its commitment to the fight against illegal mining and the protection of Ghana’s forest reserves.
While acknowledging ongoing challenges in the fight against illegal mining, the Ministry urged the media and the public to verify facts and report accurately to avoid spreading misinformation.
The Ministry reassured Ghanaians of its dedication to upholding transparency and integrity in managing the country’s natural resources.
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