Revocation of Northern Ashanti Mines’ lease was harsh, resort to dialogue – Asanda Farmers Association to gov’t

The Asanda Farmers Association has spoken out against the abrupt termination of Northern Ashanti Mines' mining lease, deeming the action as harsh. In an interview, the association's secretary, Aidoo Emmanuel, expressed concern over the Minerals Commission's inclination towards revoking licenses of indigenous mines. He argued that dialogue is a more suitable approach than outright revocation.

The Secretary emphasized that the government gains more from a functioning company than from one that is shut down. He pointed out that Northern Ashanti Mines owes a significant amount, yet shutting down the company might not be the best way to recover the debt. Instead, he suggested guiding the company to generate enough revenue to pay off the debt.

He also mentioned that the action was unfair as the Minerals Commission did not provide prior notice as per the law. The Asanda Farmers Association is a beneficiary of Northern Ashanti Mines' operations as many of their children have been employed by the company. The Secretary warned that revoking licenses of indigenous mining companies could lead to massive job losses, which could pose a threat to national security.

He urged the government to intervene and provide relief to Northern Ashanti Mines, just as it did with Adamus, and guide the company to operate effectively. The revocation has sparked backlash from the public and civil society organizations, with many describing it as unlawful. Dr Steve Manteaw, the Chair of the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), also expressed his disagreement with the revocation, stating that the outstanding statutory debt alone should not be enough reason to revoke the mining lease.

He recommended negotiation for payment arrangements with the company, warning that the current approach might undermine confidence in the government's commitment to promoting local ownership in the mining sector.