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The Ashanti Regional Chairman for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chairman Wontumi, has insisted that his mining operations are done in a responsible way and not in an illegal way.

Chairman Wontumi insisted that he takes responsibility and would not engage in activities that would let his company and political party down.  

“I won’t do things to hurt my company; I won’t do things to hurt this party (NPP). In 2017, I could have easily moved to the site to work but I waited till I got the license before beginning my operations”, Chairman Wontumi said.

In debunking accusations of galamsey, Chairman Wontumi stated that he has applied for a lease to have authority to mine in the Nimiri forest on large scale.

“If someone wants to do galamsey, would the person apply for a lease? You can’t go to the police if you want to engage in criminal activity”, he said on NEAT FM's morning show, Ghana Montie 

He likened his stance on the issue to a man who has expressed interest in marrying a woman and doing everything legal to protect her from another man.

“It is like a man who has gone in for a woman and visited her family to perform the knocking ceremony. If another guy wants to rape the lady you have expressed interest in, won’t you protect your lady? I have the gazette and this is the law and if galamsey operators want to destroy my site, shouldn’t I protect the place?” he quizzed.

In breaking down the process he went through before being given a lease to work in the Nimiri Forest reserve, Chairman Wontumi explained that “you first have to go the minerals commissions, then to the forestry commission before the minister of Lands and Natural Resources would determine your case”.