Northern Ashanti Mines says moves to reassign disputed concession began before lease termination

Northern Ashanti Mines director and shareholder Fredrick Okine has alleged that processes to transfer the company’s disputed mining concession to another party were already underway before the company was formally notified of the termination of its lease.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle, Mr Okine claimed that individuals he identified as Chinese nationals had been taken to the mining site under the supervision of the regional office of the Minerals Commission to inspect the facility and take photographs.

He questioned the rationale behind allowing such visits while Northern Ashanti Mines was contesting the termination of its mining lease.

“You don’t just take over with soldiers and then bring Chinese people over to come and look at the plant and take pictures and things like that. This is not right,” he said.

When asked to confirm whether the individuals had indeed visited the site, Mr Okine said they had done so under the supervision of officials from the regional Minerals Commission office.

He further alleged that efforts to award the concession to another company had commenced before Northern Ashanti Mines received the termination letter.

“Even before the letter came to us, the processes to award had started,” he said.

Mr Okine described the development as unfair, arguing that Northern Ashanti Mines should have been given an opportunity to address the concerns surrounding its lease before consideration was given to another party.

“Someone is trying to reap where they didn’t sow, and it is wrong,” he said.

He said Northern Ashanti Mines had invested substantially in the Konongo project over several years, including spending on exploration and the construction of a new processing plant in preparation for gold production.

According to him, the company had also written to the Minerals Commission and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources seeking clarification on the termination letter issued to it in April.

He said the responses received had not resolved the company’s concerns, prompting Northern Ashanti Mines to pursue legal action.

Despite the legal proceedings, Mr Okine said the company remained open to discussions with the authorities in an effort to find an amicable resolution.

The allegations concerning the site visits and the alleged moves to reassign the concession were made by Mr Okine during the interview. No response from the Minerals Commission or NAIMOS to those specific claims was included in the account.