My mining company not responsible for pollution of River Ankobra, other rivers - CEO of Okobeng Mines

The Chief Executive Officer of Okobeng Mining Company, Nana Okobeng Amponsah, has debunked the widespread allegations that the gold mining activities on his mining concession at Dominase in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Municipality of the Western Region have been destroying Ankobra River and other water bodies.

"I want to set the records straight today that these allegations leveled against my company are completely false, unfounded and cooked. Having being the law abiding citizen who has dully registered and secured the certified necessary legal licenses or documents from the various state mining regulatory institutions including the Minerals Commission and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and have been mining gold resource for the past twenty-five (25) years in Ghana, he would be the last person to do something to destroy water bodies. I respect the water bodies.

"I dared anyone who knows the concession to go and verify how my company carries its responsible gold mining activities and see if its mining activities destroy water bodies as being claimed by these of my destructors," Nana Okobeng set the records straight.

Nana Okobeng was responding to the callegations leveled against him that the mining activities of his company have polluted water bodies including the Ankobra River.

In an interview with some journalists on Wednesday December 14, 2022, the seasoned miner stated that the allegations are false and a deliberate attempt by his critics to score cheap points.

According to him, he legally secured various necessary licences from the Minerals Commission and Environmental Protection Agency to mine gold at Dominase and that his company’s operations confined in the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006. Act 703.

Nana Okobeng pointed out that those who are polluting the Akonbra River and other water bodies were the illegal small scale miners, popularly known as the galamseyers who are indiscriminately mining gold resources from the communities such as Bamiankor, Ayinase, Amgbasea, Akango, Dualle and Akosono in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Municipality.

He stated that the people in these areas can testify that his company’s activities do not end up polluting the Akonbra River and other streams and rivers in the area.

“When you go to Dominase in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Municipality, the people will tell you I am against the pullution of water bodies by the galamseyers I serve water bodies from from the illegal miners.. I understand mining because that is where am coming from,” he stated.

He declared his support for the government’s fight against illegal small scale mining activities by way of leading anti-galamsey Military task-force to some illegal concessions to clamp down on the illegal miners in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Municipality.

“I’m serving this notice to each and every one that my concession within Dominase didn't have hands in polluting of water bodies or Akonbra River so far mining activities are concern in the area.

"Nobody should dare mention my name or the name of my company in any media platform or publication that we have polluted water bodies because there would be dire consequences for those who will try to tarnish my company name again in this regard,” he warned.

He, therefore, cautioned media practitioners to be vigilant and do proper fact-checking with their informants before writing any false story against his company again.

Mincing no words, Nana Okobeng has warned that necessary legal actions will be taking against any person or media organization who is found to have written any story to tarnish his name and that of his company.