Ashanti Regional Minister seizes Engineers and Planners equipment

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah has seized heavy duty equipment belonging to Engineers and Planners.
According to him, he will only release the equipment if the company belonging to Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Mahama is able to provide him with documents granting them permission to work at a bauxite concession at Nyinahim in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.
The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council as part of its clampdown on illegal mining seized heavy duty equipment were being taken to the area with the view of prospecting and mining bauxite.
The erstwhile Mahama government, acting through then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Nii Osah Mills, on December 29, 2016, entered into and granted Exton Cubic Group Limited mining leases to mine bauxite in different concessions for 21 and 18 years respectively.
The company then outsource the prospecting of the site to Mr. Ibrahim Mahama’s company but the Regional Minister prevented the drivers of the vehicles from entering the area.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Hon. Osei-Mensah said they have seized the vehicles because they don’t have any permit to operate on the concession.
Though they claimed they have permission from the Minister of Lands and Water Resources, Peter Amewu and the Forestry Commission, he said he is yet to set documents to that effect.
“I don’t work with verbal communications, I need documents and until then, I will not release the machines” he stressed.
“I want to get the documents, commit the Lands Minister so that if something happens, he [Amewu] will be blamed” he added.
Simon Osei-Mensah warned such permission being given to mining companies will affect the fight against illegal mining launched by President Akufo-Addo.
In a rebuttal, Communications Director of Engineers and Planners, Samuel Genfi expressed shock at the conduct of the Ashanti Regional Minister.
He explained that, they have satisfied all requirements backed by law since May 13, 2013 thus Mr. Osei-Mensah cannot claim not to know anything about it.
“There is no justifiable cause to detain machines. The cars has been detained without any lawful reason” he added.
Sammy Genfi is convinced the communist inferior tactics being adopted by the Minister feeds into the perception that the government want to collapse the business of Mr. Ibrahim Mahama.