We’ve not granted licence for mining in forest reserves – Minerals Commission
The Minerals Commission has refuted claims suggesting that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has granted licence to companies to prospect for minerals in the country’s forest reserves, despite a ban.
This comes on the back of some allegations made by MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, that the minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had granted licence to some firms to prospect for minerals in the forest reserves.
The commission in a statemen has however, said the allegations are false and challenged any individual with such evidence to come forward.
“The attention of the Minerals Commission has been drawn to a publication by the Member of Parliament for Tamale North Constituency, Alhassan Suhuyini, alleging that despite the ban on prospecting in forest reserves, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, has granted prospecting licences to some companies to prospect for minerals in forest reserves,” the commission said in a statement.
“The said publication is false and should be disregarded by the public. Since assuming office as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources on 5 March 2021, Jinapor has not granted a single prospecting licence to any company to undertake any exploration activities in forest reserves. Any person with a copy of any such licence should produce same.
“The Forestry Commission’s letter does not constitute a Forest Entry Permit nor a prospecting licence,” the statement read.
Below is the full statement:
