Three Yemenis arrested by a combined team of Minerals Commission and Artisanal Small-scale Miners (ASM) taskforce on Monday at Asomdwe, a suburb of Akyem Oda for allegedly engaging in illegal mining have denied being illegal miners.
The taskforce invaded a new mining site being prepared for community mining operation at Akyem Oda in the Eastern Region, destroyed cables and other equipment and arrested the three Yemenis expatriates, and impounded two excavators.
A chief who is also fronting the community mining exercise was also arrested and put behind bars for two days by Police when he went to the Police station to secure bail to the expatriates.
GHOne News checks however indicate that, the Yemenis namely Hussein Ali, Muhammed Omar and Salleh Ali are engineers who were installing Macon SD-400 gold Wash Plant and other equipment which are advanced technology being set up as part of processes to establish an office and infrastructure for Oda Community Mining program on about 100 acre land leased under tributary arrangement by Ghana Consolidated Diamond (GCD) approved by Minerals commission.
A visit to the site observed it is almost 100 meters away from the Birim river.
Three(3) dams have also been created for recycling of water for its intended mining operation using the latest technology being installed by the Yemenis.
Kontoh Owusu Agyekum, Project Coordinator of the Oda Community Mining program said , their preparatory activities were known to the District Security Council, BNI, Regional Security Council, Regional Police Command, Minerals Commission and all other regulatory bodies.
“We have taken all necessary steps and followed due processes in the community mining operation. Firstly we obtained tributary arrangement from GCD. SIGA was involved, Minerals commission has signed. After which we met the Eastern Regional Minister to tell him about our plans to engage in community mining. He asked as to follow due processes, build an office with canteen, washroom among others. So we were on site doing all that and installing SD-400 wash machine”.
Kontoh Owusu Agyekum continued that “On the fateful Monday we heard some armed men had invaded our site destroying the equipment. These are expensive machines which cost $600,000 per one. We have acquired the machines in credit bases with intention to work with it and pay back the foreign supplier. The agreement was for the company to build, operate and train local workers how to operate it for three months before they hand over before we make full payment. Because we are law abiding, we have created three dams for recycling of water at the site to prevent water pollution”.
“During the operation, the whitemen were even at their hotel so they rushed to the site to ensure the machines are not destroyed but they were arrested upon arrival” Owusu Agyekum explained
He added that it is therefore disingenuous for anyone to claim they are engaging in illegal mining.
Kontoh Owusu Agyekum alleged that the taskforce stole Ghc30,000 belonging to the expatriates.
Oda Police were reluctant to speak on the matter.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
