Lands and Mines Watch Ghana (LMWG) is calling for the criminal prosecution of Adamus Resources Limited and all persons found culpable following the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ revocation of the company’s mining leases.
In a statement dated April 26, the group said the cancellation of the leases was a necessary step, but argued that administrative sanctions alone were not enough, considering the seriousness of the alleged breaches.
Executive Director of LMWG, Kwame Owusu Danso, said the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice must urgently authorise criminal proceedings.
“LMWG therefore calls on the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to, as a matter of urgency, issue the necessary fiat or prosecutorial authorisation to the Minerals Commission and relevant state investigative bodies,” the statement said.
The group said investigations by the Ministry had cited illegal mining activities, unauthorised subcontracting, environmental degradation and breaches of Ghana’s mining laws.
According to LMWG, those findings may expose the company, its directors, management and collaborators to possible criminal liability.
The group specifically referenced alleged violations of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
It also pointed to the reported unlawful involvement of foreign nationals in illegal mining operations and mining activities carried out without the required approvals.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources recently revoked Adamus Resources’ leases after what it described as confirmed regulatory and operational breaches.
That decision came amid heightened national attention on illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, which continues to damage forests, pollute rivers and threaten farming communities across the country.
LMWG said Ghana’s anti-galamsey fight would lose credibility if serious violations are resolved only through administrative action.
“The fight against illegal mining cannot succeed where regulatory breaches of this magnitude are resolved only through revocations and administrative directives,” the statement noted.
It added that Ghana must send a clear signal that mineral rights cannot be used as a shield for unlawful conduct.
The group further called for immediate criminal investigations into all actors linked to the matter, including both foreign nationals and Ghanaian collaborators.
It also demanded inquiries into possible regulatory failures or official complicity that may have allowed the alleged infractions to continue.
LMWG wants the outcomes of any investigations and prosecutions made public to promote transparency and deterrence.
“Accountability remains the strongest deterrent against the growing normalisation of illegality within Ghana’s mining sector,” the statement added.
The group said the Ghanaian public must be assured that no company, regardless of influence or status, is above the law.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com