A group calling itself Akwatia Development Association [AKDA] is calling for investigations into illegal mining and sale of the assets of Great Consolidated Diamonds Ghana Limited (GCDGL) by the Management of the company.
In 2010, Government through the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) sold assets of then Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Limited (GCDL) to Jospong Group led GCDGL Company.
According to the Association, assets of GCD were sold to GCDGL for $17,000,000 but Only $2, 7000,000 was initially paid under the terms and conditions in the contract signed by both parties in December 5, 2011, in which some selected assets of GCD were handed over to GCDGL as government awaited the balance to be paid for full handing over which had not happened.
The group said, GCDGL was expected to create, 2500 direct jobs and 50,000 indirect jobs for support services, establish an integrated diamond mining and Diamond Processing Industry which have not been fulfilled worsening the high rate of unemployment in Akwatia and impoverishing the people.
Addressing the media at Akwatia Wednesday May 1, 2019, the group, Akwatia Development Association, alleged GCDGL failed to make any capital investment since it took over leaving the existing infrastructure at the company to “deteriorate while other machinery and equipment, weaned sand while others are being wheeled out on sale frequently without any question from the appropriate regulatory institutions and Authorities.”
The group accused management of GCDGL of subletting parcels of lands to over 500 hundred illegal small scale miners some of whom are mining roads and lands around bungalows located in the company’s yard.
“The company’s partners in galamsey activities pay between Ghc50, 000 to Ghc70, 000 to the company to engage in galamsey. We have had cause to get the Police in Akwatia to confront some persons involved in the company’s galamsey activities who showed us official receipts from the Company,” the group said.
Vice President of the Association, Kwadwo Obeng Darko, told Starr News they are reliably informed that on April 9, 2019, the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) through its solicitors wrote a letter to GCDGL revoking the contract of sale on the basis of non-payment of the balance of the sale price and among others indicated their preparedness to re-enter and take possession of the assets.
The General Secretary to the Akwatia Development Association, David Kwarshie, called on the government to delegate a parliamentary select committee to pay a visit to the mining site of GCDL in Akwatia unannounced for their own observations and recommendations.
“We request that an investigation be launched into the ongoing galamsey activities as authorized by GCDGL at the Company’s bungalows. The government should as a matter of urgency halt all galamsey activities being superintendent on the residential properties of GCD since same further depletes the value of the assets and also possesses a great threat to the environment,” he said.
The group also called for the prosecution of “the directors of the company and its agents for engaging in illegal mining in and around the residential facilities of GCD.”
However, in a spontaneous counter press conference by a group calling itself Concern Youth of Akwatia, the claims by the Akwatia Development Association that small scale miners currently working with GCDGL are engaging in illegal mining were rubbished.
Secretary to the group, Yaw Opoku Agyei, explained that the miners are well trained by the Inter Ministerial Committee on Small Scale Mining therefore work under the strict adherence of the mining regulations.
He accused the leadership of Akwatia Development Association of allowing some opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) faithfuls including former Member of Parliament Baba Jamal to infiltrate their ranks to engage in false politicking.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
