The Ashanti Regional Minister-designate, Simon Osei-Mensah, yesterday told Parliament’s Appointments Committee that his directive for the seizure of mining equipment belonging to Exton Cubic Limited was not borne out of political expediency, but rather was meant to save the company.
According to Mr Osei-Mensah, some irate youth of Nyinahin would have even burnt the trucks and other mining equipment of the company because they believed the company had “invaded the forest of the district” without any documentation from the government.
Responding to questions from Muntaka Mohammed, MP for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, on why it took almost a month for the Minister to release the seized equipment, after a court order, Mr Osei-Mensah stated: “Hon. Chairman, I think I rather saved Exton Cubic big time…I saved their equipment from being burnt by the irate youth of the area.”
He continued: “I had information to the effect that some heavy-duty equipment were being sent to the forest of Nyinahin, and that the youth were readying themselves to demonstrate against what they saw as invasion. So I called the Regional Police Commander to cause the confiscation of those trucks and were sent to Nyinahin police station and later to Nkwawie.”
Release of equipment
The Minister-designate disclosed that he called the then Deputy Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame and asked him to make his office make arrangements for the release of the machines.
Though the Regional Minister-designate admitted that the release of the machines took sometimes, he insisted his action rather saved the company and its machines from being destroyed by the youth who were visibly angry.
Source: dailystatesman.com.gh
