Women Miners Ghana (WMG) are calling on President Mahama to intervene in the revocation of mining license of Adamus Resources limited and order the sector Minister and the Minerals Commission to reconsider and reinstate the revoked mining license.
The group also described the revocation as a threat to gender inclusivity and economic empowerment of women.
Their call which was contained in a press release signed by the Convener Madam Maafua Sakyi-Danso and issued to the media, follows what they described as unlawful revocation of Adamus Resources Limited’s leases for Akango, Salman and Nkroful/Anwia on recommendation of the Minerals Commission by Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Armah Kofi Buah.
According to the group which is a network of professional women in Mining and natural resources, the revocation of Adamus license smacks of injustice against a legitimate mining company especially when evidence of allegations against the company can not stand the law test.
WMG argued that Adamus is run by Ghanaian businesswoman Angela List, whom they said has over the years promoted and championed gender empowerment – highlighting the training of eleven women from local mining communities to be professional operators of advanced mining equipment as a shining example of a woman whose business must be protected rather than destroyed.
The group questioned the logic in revoking a license of a company employing over 1,200 people when that same power could have been used to caution the company to right the wrongs assuming without admitting that the allegations were correct.
“What the Minister has done will go down in history as the worst decision and injustice meted at THE ONLY FEMALE LOCALLY OWNED MINE”.
“The revocation is a setback for women in mining and for local ownership”, the group added.
“We at Women Miners Ghana believe that Adamus does not engage in galamsey but rather responsible mining” which they said has benefitted many women.
The group is therefore appealing to President Mahama to intervene in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to surreptitiously take over a mining firm belonging to a woman who is respected in the mining field and earned several accolades and international awards to her credit.
It would be recalled that since the revocation of Adamus license by the sector Minister Armah Kofi Buah, no day has passed without a group, individual or CSOs criticizing the decision.
They insist that due process was not followed as Adamus was not given notice or a chance to remedy breaches under Regulation 200(3) of L.I. 2176, unlike other companies given 120-day cure periods.
One Lawyer Kobby Amoah is quoted as saying “the process involved in relation to Adamus was clearly arbitrary, and the Minister carried out the revocation in violation of the rules specified under the law”.
According to him the Minister fails to avert his mind to the economic impact his decision would have on the people of Ellembelle , Nkroful, Akango and Salman- which are the operational communities of Adamus.
On Thursday, President of Imani Franklin Cudjoe waded into the revocation saga warning the Minister of consequences of the decision he has taken contending that the Minerals Commission did not adhere to due process.
“The Minister must protect his reputation from whimsical, plundering acts cloaked as legal actions by agencies like the Minerals Commission,” Cudjoe remarked.
Mr Cudjoe maintained that the company was deprived of the necessary procedures outlined in the Minerals and Mining Act before the revocation of its mining leases.
Having seen all documentation, I have no doubt the accusations against Adamus are heavily contrived and choreographed over just three investigative days, without following Act 703’s rules,” he asserted.
He further criticized the decision to appoint an Interim Management Committee to oversee the company’s operations.
source:www.senaradioonline.com
