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| The story as captured in the November 1, 2014 edition of the Daily Graphic newspaper, pg 13 |
This
follows the filing of a suit by Ghacem against the latter for what it describes
as interference in its Popotia limestone concession covering an area of 93.16km2
(23, 021. 00 acres).
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| Nene Agbau Narh III, 1st Defendant & Ag. Prez. of the MKTC |
The
suit was filed at the Koforidua High Court against Nene Agbau Narh III,
Divisional Chief of Djebiam, in his capacity as the acting President of the Traditional
Council. Four others have also been sued including Mr. E. K. Sackitey,
Coordinator of the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat; Mr. Annor Divine,
Chairman of the Limestone Land Owners Association, Lawatt Quarries Company
Limited, a local mining firm, as well as one Nene Okletey.
The plaintiff
is seeking among others, an order of quia timet injunction to restrain the Traditional
Council, Mr. Sackitey, Mr. Annor and Nene Okletey from interfering with their
concession. It is also demanding a declaration that the mining activities of
Lawatt Quarries, the fifth defendant, constitute trespass on its concession.
The current
disagreement was sparked by meeting held on September 24, 2014 attended by representatives
of Ghacem, the Traditional Council and other stakeholders including the Manya Krobo
Customary Lands Secretariat, The Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly and youth
groups. During the meeting, Nene Agbau Narh, then acting as the President of
the Council ordered Ghacem to halt its operation in the Popotia application
area as the various stakeholders still stood by their objection to the granting
of that application.
Earlier,
the council, in a letter dated September 17, 2014, conveyed to the Minerals
Commission its decision ordering the plaintiff to cease operations in the
Popotia application area until further notice.
The
letter indicated, among others that Ghacem’s operation in those areas was
illegal because all stakeholders including the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal
Assembly, the Traditional Council, Customary Lands Secretariat, landowners and
other concerned groups objected to the issuance of reconnaissance license to Ghacem
by the Minerals Commission as indicated in a letter from the Municipal Assembly
dated October 15, 2010.
When
contacted, Nene Agbau Narh III, the first defendant preferred to remain silent
until the determination of the case.
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| Dr. George Dawson Amoah, Head of Strategy and Corp. Affairs, Ghacem |
Dr.
George Dawson-Amoah, Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem
confirmed initiating the legal action and said “that was because the defendants
were putting impediments in our way”.
In a
related development, a Youth and Advocacy group in the area, Kloma Gbi, has
expressed shock at the decision by Ghacem to initiate a court action against
the traditional rulers of the community within which it derives its raw
materials.
.jpg) |
| Ign. Philip Tetteh Padi, Commissioner of Kloma Gbi |
Commissioner
of the group, Ing. Philip Tetteh Padi, said “though it is Ghacem’s legal right
to initiate any such action when aggrieved, it would have been prudent exploring
other alternatives to solve the issue, taking cognizance of the likely effect
of the action”.
He
declined to comment on the substantive issue except to say that as youth of the
area, they were prepared to stand by their Chiefs in a situation like this
especially looking at their side of the argument.
It
would be recalled that Ghacem has been mining limestone in the area for the
past ten years following the commissioning of the quarry at Odugblase in 2004
by the Ex-President John Agyekum Kuffour.
Published: Saturday November 1, 2014, pg 13, Daily Graphic
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