Member of Parliament for Asutifi South and member of the Minerals Commission’s Tender Committee, Collins Dauda, has defended the award of the Damang mining lease to a company linked to Ibrahim Mahama, insisting that due process was followed.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, he said Engineers and Planners Ltd had been operating at Damang long before President John Dramani Mahama assumed office. He argued that the firm’s technical capacity and track record justify its selection, questioning claims that Ibrahim Mahama should be disqualified due to his relationship with the President.
Mr. Dauda noted that the contract is yet to be presented to Parliament for ratification and assured that it will be thoroughly scrutinised in line with legal requirements.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources confirmed that the Damang mining lease was awarded to Engineers and Planners Ltd following a competitive tender process and recommendations from the Minerals Commission.
“The contract is not yet on our agenda. Any mining-related contract must be brought before Parliament for ratification. When it arrives, we will follow the necessary procedures to review and ratify it. Ibrahim Mahama’s company has been involved in mining at Damang even before John Mahama became president. There is nothing inherently wrong with him mining—should he be disqualified simply because he is the president’s brother?
“The contract was awarded through validation and evaluation, and Engineers and Planners qualifies for it. If the contract had gone to anyone else, I would have questioned it, as he is recognised as the best contract miner in the country. His capacity exceeds that of anyone else in the field. The contract is yet to be presented to the committee, so I do not know the specific terms. All evaluations will be conducted according to the law. We will thoroughly examine everything before recommending ratification, ensuring that the entire process complies with legal standards,” he added.
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