A member of the New Patriotic Party’s Communication team in the Upper East region, Samuel Akonga has challenged the Public Relations officer for Shaanxi mining company to provide written evidence that the recent blasting that took place in Gbane by his company was sanctioned by the Lands and Natural resource Minister.
PRO for Shaanxi mining company today in an interview on A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East, mentioned that his company had discovered some illegal tunnels where some illegal miners pass through to encroach on their facility (Shaanxi mining).
He mentioned that upon consultation with the Sector minister, Shaanxi was allowed to blast some stones in order to block encroachers from encroaching their facility while they have stopped mining activities due to the ban on mining in the area.
But New Patriotic Party’s Samuel Akonga has challenged Maxwell Wooma to provide evidence of a letter from the Minister giving Shaanxi mining the opportunity to blast the stones when mining activities have been placed on hold pending investigations.
He indicated that until the letter of authority has been provided, there will be doubts that the company has not defied orders by the Talensi Traditional council and the Lands and resources Minister.
“If Maxwell Wooma wants us to believe him, he should provide us with a written document to prove that they had orders from the sector minister, until then, we won’t believe were working under the orders of the Minister. A sector minister who has placed a ban on mining activities will not give a verbal order for the mining company to undertake a blasting activity so he should provide us with evidence.”
Samuel Akonga was dissatisfied with the activities of the mining company in that part of the Upper East region but mentioned that it is difficult for the people to be heard because Shaanxii mining is “protected by a cabal”.
By: Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
