Concerns over potential goldmine seizures in Ghana have intensified following warnings from Bright Simons, Vice President of IMANI Africa, who has cautioned against the misuse of political power to claim control over mining assets.
According to Simons, his public commentary on the ongoing dispute between E&P and Azumah Black Volta was intended to highlight the risk of state power being exploited to secure mining operations.
Addressing those who viewed his concerns as exaggerated, Simons pointed to the open support from certain E&P sympathizers as clear evidence of the threat.
“Many E&P supporters were openly saying…that they would support the seizure of the mine to benefit E&P or other use of state power to resolve the dispute in E&P’s favour because the Azumah side is made up of ‘foreigners’.
“A disinformation campaign was being waged to lay the ground to mobilise public support for the political seizure of the mine. My job was to warn against that. I hope, though, that E&P itself is sensitive about this attitude among its supporters.”
Bright Simons
Simons also emphasized that E&P, of all companies, should understand the risks of framing foreign firms as adversaries.
Goldmine Clash Revives E&P’s Liberia Lessons On Political Power
Reflecting on previous industry incidents, Bright Simons argued that E&P, more than most major Ghanaian companies, should be particularly mindful of the risks involved in portraying foreign businesses as adversaries within the country.
Simons referenced E&P’s past dealings in Liberia to strengthen his argument. Back in 2011, E&P was awarded a significant contract to assist ArcelorMittal’s mining activities in Nimba County. However, by 2013, tensions between the two companies had escalated.
He highlighted how, towards the end of that year, E&P’s Country Manager, Pamela Bowen, launched a public campaign criticizing ArcelorMittal.
Bowen alleged that ArcelorMittal had failed to pay E&P for two consecutive years, which reportedly left E&P unable to provide for its workers.
“ArcelorMittal disputed this and insisted that they paid their bills promptly within 30 days of invoice submission. And that any challenges within E&P’s operations were entirely internal.
“Despite the embarrassing exchanges and clear labour discontent, the government of Liberia remained totally impartial. Despite ArcelorMittal being by far the most powerful corporate operator in Liberia and the government’s 30% interest in the company.”
Bright Simons
He described how E&P took steps to block some of its own Ghanaian expatriate workers from being hired by ArcelorMittal by reporting them to immigration authorities.
According to Simons, the Liberian government limited its involvement to fulfilling standard regulatory procedures, avoiding interference in the dispute.
Ultimately, ArcelorMittal took over the contested operations and directly employed E&P’s workers.
Simons argued that his thorough analysis of E&P’s operations in Liberia showed that the government’s decision to remain neutral and uphold the rule of law helped prevent the conflict from worsening and ultimately protected E&P’s corporate reputation.
“E&P’s work in Liberia for ArcelorMittal remains the main item on its corporate CV when it positions itself as an international company. E&P’s owner continues to actively seek business in Liberia and elsewhere across the globe.”
Bright Simons
Analyst Rejects Bias In E&P Saga
Responding to claims of partiality, Bright Simons dismissed suggestions that his analysis was biased, noting that anyone familiar with his long-standing work would recognize his independence.
He rejected E&P’s implication that he supported Azumah Resources, clarifying that he had no affiliation or advocacy role concerning Azumah or its investors.
Emphasizing his position, he explained that he operates as an independent analyst focused solely on serving the public interest.
Simons also questioned the involvement of the ECOWAS Bank (EBID) in the ongoing dispute, expressing doubts about the institution’s role and actions in the matter.
“Contrary to Azumah’s deference, my position is that the @BIDC_EBID must answer to the citizens of ECOWAS, its ultimate shareholders, how it got involved in this acquisition that clearly hadn’t happened as announced.”
Bright Simons
Simons ended his commentary by expressing cautious optimism, saying he hoped both E&P and Azumah would eventually overcome their differences.
He emphasized the importance of finding a peaceful, mutually beneficial resolution to what he described as an unusual and complex standoff attracting significant public and industry attention. “Meanwhile, accountability is a marathon.”
READ ALSO: Ghana Launches Investment Mapping Project to Boost District-Level Economic Growth
