Exton Cubic has no permit to mine bauxite at Nyinahini in the Ashanti Region, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.
A statement from the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednessday said: “As a result of the public interest in the matter, the EPA would like to clarify the position of Exton Cupid Group Limited’s environmental permit status under its mining lease (That is a necessary condition for any mining activity)."
“The bottomline is that Exton Cubic Group Limited has not obtained the required EPA permit under its mining lease and, therefore, any attempt to enter the area for mining activity is illegal.”
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, has in the interim said his decision not to allow Exton Cubic Group Limited to continue mining bauxite at the Tano-Offin Forest Reserve in the Atwima Mponua District, is not political but in the interest of the country.
Mr Osei-Mensah has seized equipment and logistics hired by the company for its operations, and has vowed not to release the equipment until the company produces documents to show they have been licensed to mine in the region. The equipment belong to Engineers and Planners Co. Ltd, a company owned by Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Dramani Mahama.
Below is the full statement:
EXTON CUBIC GROUP LIMITED’S ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT STATUS WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
The attention of the EPA has been drawn to a situation that has arisen regarding an attempt by Exton Cubic Group Limited to enter the Nyinahin bauxite deposit area for the purpose of undertaking mining activities.
As a result of the public interest in the matter, the EPA would like to clarify the position of Exton Cubic Group Limited’s Environmental Permit status under its Mining Lease (that is a necessary condition for any mining activity).
The bottom line is that Exton Cubic Group Limited has not obtained the required EPA permit under its mining lease and therefore any attempt to enter the area for mining activity is illegal.
On 29th March 2016, Exton Cubic Group Limited applied for three separate Environmental Permits from the EPA to undertake prospecting of bauxite on its Mprasaso, Kiriyaso, and Kyekyewere concessions in the Ashanti region covering a total of 346.08 km sq.
The EPA granted the Environmental Permits to Exton Cubic Group Limited on 7th June 2016. The company among other conditions was to notify the EPA as soon as prospecting activities commenced and also to submit within three months from the date of issuance of the Environmental Permit a liability estimate of environmental degradation to enable the posting of the Reclamation Bond in line with Regulation 23 of the Environmental Assessment Regulation 1999 (LI 1652).
Exton Cubic Group Limited unfortunately reneged on all these conditions. The prospecting permits are therefore no longer valid.
Exton Cubic Group Limited subsequently acquired a Mining Lease on 29th December 2016 from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, This mining lease requires a new EPA permit which has not been granted by the EPA. The EPA’s discussions with the company and its consultants indicated that the following documents are required to support their application for in EPA permit under its Mining lease:
• Submission to EPA of a “No objection” letter from Cabinet;
• Completion and submission of statutory environmental assessment form (EA2); and
• Notification from the EPA to the company to conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment which would have led to a broader public consultation and “public hearings’ within the relevant catchment communities in line with Regulation 17 of the Environmental Assessment regulations, 1999 (LI 1652).
Failure of the company to comply with the above stated conditions as at the time of the issuance of this press release has rendered all environmental permits null and void, Again, the EPA wishes to state that any mining activity to be conducted by the Exton Cubic Group Limited within the concession areas, of which Environmental Permit is being sought is not consistent with the Environmental Assessment Procedures of the EPA, LI1652 and is therefore illegal.
SIGNED
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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NO RAILWAY SYSTEM, WE CAN'T MINE BAUXITE TAKE THIS KNOWLEDGE AND REJECT STOMACH OFFERS Bauxite is a mineral which can be exploited after you have conducted intensive feasibility study on the project to determine (1) the quantity on the ground (2) the method of mining (3) method of transporting to coastline for shipment and (4) the financial modelling to determine the viability of the project. Unlike gold, bauxite cannot be processed on Site, it has to be transported to a harbour built purposely for bauxite Shipment. The condition of the current Kumasi – Accra road cannot be used for transporting bauxite to the coastline for shipment. So why mining bauxite. As I speak, a courseway is being built into the sea in Guinea for mining and shipment of bauxite. That is proper planning. Just imagine how Akwatia bauxite is being transported from Akwatia to Takoradi, destroying the very road Government has used our taxes to build. Akwatia was designed to transport using the rail system but look at the mess going on now. The Government share in Akwatia cannot be enough to build that road so you see Ghana is losing. The investor who will be chosen to mine the bauxite should have capacity and money to build railway from Kumasi to Accra for bauxite shipment and also for public use. So we need to take our time to do things right and stop rushing to destroy the very mineral God has given to Ghana. Our ministers should seek for technical knowledge before giving our minerals to so called investors so that Ghana could benefit.
WHERE WERE THIS ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR THIS WHOLE WHILE? THE ASHANTI REGIONAL MINISTER WAS 100% RIGHT FOR IMPOUNDED THE HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT BELONGING TO ENGENEERS AND PALNNERS. THEY SHOULD QUICKLY VOCATE THE SITE FOR THE BETTERMENT FOR US ALL. KUDOS TO THE ASHANTI REGIONAL MINISTER, MR SIMON OSEI MENSAH.
I'm happy this dubious deal has been stopped
Your submision is so chilly to the core.A whooping 346 km sq ??!!more than the size of T.ogo with our few trees left given to a single person to di.st.roy for 20 good years,including our water b.od.ies,yet,people like Ofosu Ampofo and the rest who call themselves decision-makers and are supposed to know better can come out boldly to defend such a cr.ue.l inte.nt.ion.Well,I have been following the st.ra.tegy of our humble President with keen interest and I believe At the right time, the sa.nd will be sep.e.ra.ted fro.m the bea.ns.The tr.ees shall be known by their fr.ui.ts.
So who attempted this staupidity to give 58% of a nation's resource to a group? Was the person drunk or something? There were a lot #unreasonable stuff in the Mahama administration but this? Do our leaders think at all? Look at that northerner controlling Ashantis. Peter Amewu and Sir John are 'kenken kwa' political appointees. Thanks a lot true Hon. Simon Osei Mensah. You deserve our respect.
The Ashanti Regional Minister is right. Until there is clear evidence of a permit to mine, the equipment should not be released to them.
sir John ,sir John ........................
I am glad to hear that EPA has come in on this. Does it mean that had it not been for the Ashanti Regional Minister and the DCE's vigilance, Ibrahim (the loooter) Mahama would be breaking the law and destroying the environment at the same time.
Peter Amewu, where are the documents that the Ashanti Minister asked for? Does it include forged EPA documents?
Peter Amewu, have you seen what following the toxic Ibrahim Mahama has done to you? Did you NOT LEARN any lesson from the the Incompetent Family???