The Chief Executive of AC Zenon Limited, Hajia Amina Tahiru, has refuted allegations of the company’s involvement in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
This follows accusations by Nana Boadi Amponim Obodade III, Kontinhene of Asuom in the Kwaebibirim Municipality of the Eastern region, who claimed that activities of AC Zenon were affecting the environment and destroying water bodies in the community.
He also alleged that AC Zenon, linked to Amina Tahiru, has refused to comply with the community’s demands to stop operations and reclaim damaged lands.
On Friday, Hajia Tahiru took journalists to the site, where officers of the Minerals Commission in Koforidua were present.
She confirmed the legitimacy of the mining lease issued to the company to undertake operations in 2022 and refuted Kontinhene’s allegations.
Hajia Tahiru noted that the Asuom Kontinhene was only bitter after the company refused to succumb to his personal demands against a collective community agreement.
“I hold in my hands my mining lease, it is not even a prospecting licence, a mining lease I have with all my other documents that support me to do mining. This is the site where we are currently standing on. You can see behind me a settling pond that we have created.
“This pond alone took up to three months to complete. The pond took about three months to complete and we are not drawing water directly from the stream. The stream is about 200 meters away from where we are currently. We are recycling all our water.”
“…I don’t even have a single cocoa around me here and with all the lands that have been mined were compensated, duly compensated with a proper agreement given to the farmers, they signed, we signed and we took over the land and we even gave them a duration and give it back to them.”
“…I am one of the vocal persons who is totally against illegal mining in this country. I have talked about it. I have gone to the extent that I took it upon myself to go to some of my colleagues’ sites to advise them as to how to do their work properly.
“Illegal mining doesn’t just affect the water bodies and the environment, it also affects some of us who have legitimate licences. Like today I have my concession, illegal miners have invaded the whole area, some part of the concession and it is a daunting task for me to be able to get rid of them,” she stated.
