Former inspector urges talks on Northern Ashanti Mines debt
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on MyJoyOnline
Former chief inspector of mines Obiri Yeboah Twumasi has urged Ghana’s Minerals Commission to negotiate a payment schedule with Northern Ashanti Mines for its unpaid statutory fees. He believes an instalment arrangement would allow the company, which has not yet started producing gold, to continue developing its mine, according to MyJoyOnline.
Obiri Yeboah Twumasi, a former chief inspector of mines at Ghana’s Minerals Commission, has called on the Commission to negotiate a payment schedule with Northern Ashanti Mines for the settlement of more than $8.38 million in unpaid statutory fees, MyJoyOnline reports.
Speaking on the Top Story programme on Joy FM, Obiri Yeboah Twumasi said a payment agreement would allow the company to gradually settle its debt while continuing to build its processing plant and install its equipment. Northern Ashanti Mines has not yet begun producing gold or generating sales revenue, he recalled.
The former official also asked the Minerals Commission to follow the procedure applicable to alleged breaches. In his view, the company should first be given 120 days to correct the irregularities, followed by an additional 120-day period if the problems persist. He called on both sides to prioritise dialogue to prevent the dispute from worsening, MyJoyOnline reports.
The controversy concerns the Ghanaian authorities’ revocation of Northern Ashanti Mines’ permits. It follows the termination of Northern Ashanti Mines’ permits, announced on 27 October.
