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Mining becomes illegal when operators work outside approved areas- Hopeson Adorye
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The Director of Field Operations of the United Party, Hopeson Adorye says mining in Ghana is not illegal, but it becomes unlawful when miners operate outside the areas approved under their licences.
Speaking on Joy news today, while commenting on the conviction of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, Mr. Adorye said the prosecution successfully proved its case in court.
According to him, the trial, which lasted about nine months, established beyond reasonable doubt that illegal mining activities had taken place on the land in question.
Mr. Adorye said Chairman Wontumi admitted that the land belonged to him and claimed he had allowed some people to carry out land reclamation there.
He, however, said a prosecution witness from Chairman Wontumi’s company testified that the activities on the land were illegal mining and not land reclamation.
Mr. Adorye explained that mining itself is permitted under Ghana’s laws, provided operators work only in locations approved by the relevant authorities.
He said mining becomes illegal when operators move into forest reserves, water bodies or other unauthorized areas without approval.
According to him, some miners obtain licences to operate in designated locations but later move to different sites that are not covered by their permits.
He said there have been instances where security officers inspected mining licences and discovered that the permits presented were issued for entirely different locations.
Mr. Adorye further stated that the former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had publicly indicated that Akonta Mining did not have a permit to operate in the area where the alleged illegal mining took place.
He added that the issue had also attracted national attention after former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo publicly commented on illegal mining during a public event.
Mr. Adorye maintained that the court’s judgment showed that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to prove its case.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has clarified that former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta remains the subject of criminal proceedings in Ghana and is still wanted under a valid arrest warrant issued by the High Court in Accra.
In a public notice, the OSP said it had taken note of a transcript of a hearing from a United States immigration court that has been circulated by some media organisations.
According to the office, the document has been interpreted by some to suggest that Mr. Ofori-Atta has not been credibly charged or linked to any wrongdoing in Ghana.
The OSP rejected that interpretation, explaining that it is not involved in Mr. Ofori-Atta’s immigration proceedings in the United States.
It said its involvement relates only to extradition proceedings, which are being handled through Ghana’s Attorney-General as the country’s central authority.
According to the OSP, the extradition documents are not before the US immigration court and the court has no authority to determine whether the criminal charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta are credible.
“The credibility or otherwise of the criminal charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta is a matter for determination by the courts in Ghana,” the OSP stated.
The office explained that there are three separate legal proceedings involving the former minister.
These include the immigration proceedings in the United States concerning his immigration status, extradition proceedings to determine whether he should be returned to Ghana, and the criminal case before the High Court in Accra involving corruption and corruption-related offences.
The OSP reiterated that Mr. Ofori-Atta remains before the High Court in Accra as an accused person and that a valid warrant has been issued for his arrest.
It maintained that he remains a fugitive from justice in Ghana and is required to appear before the High Court to answer the charges against him.
The Special Prosecutor also stressed that the criminal proceedings in Ghana would continue in accordance with the law and the directives of the High Court, whether or not Mr. Ofori-Atta is physically present in the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Telecel Ghana has announced that it has resolved the intermittent challenges that affected its voice and data services.
In a message to customers, the telecommunications company announced that its network services had been fully restored after experiencing temporary disruptions.
“We are pleased to inform you that intermittent challenges with our voice and data services have been resolved,” the company said.
Telecel apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused by the service interruptions and thanked them for their patience during the period.
“We appreciate your patience and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused,” the company added.
The company assured customers of its commitment to providing reliable communication services under its slogan, “Connecting Energies.”
By: Jacob Aggrey
