Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Bosiako, has handed over his fight over ownership of the Nimri Forest Reserve to God.
According to Chairman Wontumi as he is popularly called, the intent by timber company, Samartex to snatch a land gazetted in his name will be fiercely resisted.
“My faith is in Exodus 14:14 and I know God will fight for me,” he said in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem programme Tuesday.
Chairman Wontumi’s lamentations come after the Lands Ministry directed the Forestry Commission to halt activities of Akonta Mining Limited in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
In a statement signed by sector minister, Abu Jinapor, though Akonta Mining has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi in the Western region, the company has no mineral right to mine in the Nimri Forest Reserve.
This was after two persons sustained gunshot wounds at Samreboi after a section of the youth reportedly prevented personnel of Akonta Mining Limited from sending more mining equipment into the Tano Nimri Forest reserve.
Reacting to this, Chairman Wontumi stated unequivocally that his company is not mining in the Nimri Forest Reserve as it has been speculated.
Rather, he claimed some illegal miners are engaging in galamsey on the land he had acquired since 2010.
“My company went to the forest with the security to drive out those doing galamsey on the land. Akonta Mining is not working in the Nimri Forest Reserve,” he stressed.
The NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman maintained that he is not engaged in galamsey but has all the needed documentations to engage in large scale mining.
Chairman Wontumi said due to the propaganda, he has lost in the court of public opinion, however, he is certain posterity will judge him.