Adamus Resources Company Limited has denied subletting its mining lease to another operator without ministerial approval, describing the allegation as inaccurate, and has challenged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to provide evidence.
The company’s Head of Exploration and Geology, Ekow Taylor, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, insisted Adamus had not subcontracted, transferred or sublet its lease to any third party.
“We’ve not sublet our mining lease to anybody. We can’t do that. It has not happened. I can confidently say that we have the evidence in front of me. We’ve provided evidence,” he said, adding that the company had submitted documentation to the relevant authorities to prove it had not breached the conditions of its mining lease.
He also refuted claims that Adamus had been mining without approved operational plans or valid permits from the Chief Inspector of Mines.
“We are mining because we have the mining lease. Before the Ministry issues your mining lease, you have to provide your operations plan,” he said, adding that the company had the requisite authorisation for its mining activities and questioning the basis of the government’s claim that it lacked a valid permit.
He was reacting to the government’s decision to uphold the revocation of Adamus’s mining leases, after a Ministerial Review Committee considered appeals filed by the company.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the committee had largely affirmed the breaches identified in the initial assessment, leading to a decision for the Minerals Commission to take over operations at the Adamus mine. The government cited alleged mining outside approved areas, regulatory breaches and outstanding financial obligations as reasons for maintaining the revocation.
Adamus has rejected key aspects of the government’s justification and says it intends to challenge the revocation, describing the decision as unlawful and contrary to Ghana’s mining laws.
