Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has defended regulatory action against Adamus Resources, insisting that the size of a mining company cannot place it above Ghana’s laws and regulatory institutions.
Kofi Buah said the action followed findings by mining regulators which, according to him, raised concerns over mining activities without the required permits, alleged involvement of unauthorised operators and failure to fully cooperate with regulatory investigations.
He made the disclosure during a strategic working visit and policy dialogue between the Ministry and the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra.
The Minister said the matter was initially flagged by the Chief Inspector of Mines in the region, prompting the Minerals Commission to dispatch a separate team from Accra to verify the findings.
According to him, the second team uncovered what he described as even more serious concerns.
He alleged that some mining activities had been undertaken without the necessary permits and that areas had been given to persons operating illegally.
Kofi Buah said the regulator could not overlook such breaches simply because they involved a major mining company.
“We have a country. We have institutions. The Minerals Commission is supposed to be the policeman in the industry.”
He argued that government could not prosecute small-scale illegal miners while failing to act when similar allegations involved a large-scale operator.
“If we are prosecuting the small guys for committing some acts, everybody must respect the institutions.”
The Minister also cited concerns relating to taxes, royalties, annual statutory fees and other financial obligations, although detailed supporting documents and amounts were not presented at the meeting.
Kofi Buah maintained that the regulatory decisions taken were justified.
“As we speak today, I am convinced I made the right decisions.”
He nevertheless said the Ministry would respect any lawful review of its actions by a competent authority.
The issue took another turn when IMANI Founding President and CEO Franklin Cudjoe urged the Ministry to consider giving Adamus Resources an opportunity to remedy any breaches identified by regulators.
Cudjoe argued that firm enforcement of mining laws should not prevent the State from engaging an investor willing to correct violations and comply fully with Ghanaian law.
He also stressed that Ghanaian investors in the mining sector should receive fair and predictable treatment and the same institutional protection afforded to foreign investors.
Kofi Buah indicated that the Ministry was open to such engagement if Adamus demonstrated a genuine commitment to correcting the breaches and preventing their recurrence.
The Adamus dispute has consequently become a test of Ghana’s mining regulatory regime—whether the law can be enforced firmly against powerful operators while ensuring that legitimate investors are treated fairly and given a clear path to compliance where breaches are remediable.
The allegations against Adamus remain the Minister’s account of the dispute and require a response from the company.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
