He made this known in relation to the destruction of mining equipment belonging to Xtra-Gold Resources Corporation, a gold exploration company that operates in the Atiwa West District of the Eastern Region whose General Manager is the National Women's Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kate Gyamfua.
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Galamsey fight: I've not granted licence to NPP National Women's Organiser to mine – Jinapor
"Since I became a minister, I've not granted any single mining licence or lease; I haven't done so and I'm not aware that a mining licence or lease has been granted or extended," the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has said.
Samuel Abu Jinapor
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Addressing the press on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, over galamsey activities in the country, Jinapor said "the laws will be enforced and enforced without fear or favour and without any discrimination."
Xtra-Gold Mining Limited in a statement signed by Kate Gyamfua said it is "a legally registered large-scale leaseholder of five concessions and our company has all the necessary government permits to conduct mining operations."
"We have been operating since 2006, and everyone, including the military, knows we are a legal mining company," the company said.
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On its website, the Canadian-based company said it is a licensed gold exploration company focused on defining a potentially significant resource on its Kibi Gold Discovery located in Ghana.
READ MORE: Excavators burnt: We pay "big money" to gov't but... - Disappointed NPP National Women's Organiser
Kate Gyamfua has expressed disappointment in the government when the anti-galamsey taskforce burnt over eight pieces of mining equipment belonging to a gold company she manages.
Kate Gyamfua
Pulse Ghana
Kate Gyamfua who doubles as the General Manager of Xtra-Gold Resources Corporation said it pays "big money" in terms of taxes and royalties to the government and, thus, was disappointed with the anti-galamsey task force's action which was a violation of the law.
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The company in a statement said "These unlawful actions are a clear violation of the rule of law.
"Our company pays big money royalties, taxes, stool land fees.
"We are socially responsible, and employ hundreds of local workers.
"At the same time that we are paying all these huge taxes, the military is burning millions of dollars of our mining equipment."
The task force on Sunday, May 16, 2021, set fire into eight (8) excavators, a dozer, and dozens of water pumping machines at the mining site of the NPP Women's Organizer at Akyem Akropong in Atiwa West District.
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The military task force seized and burnt a total of twenty (20) excavators and dozens of water pumping machines during the operation in the mining enclave.
On Monday, May 17, 2021, the task force returned to the mining site to burn the remaining bulldozers and pumping machines.
A worker at the mining site called Nana Asante Boadi Yeboah, narrating the story to Accra-based Starr FM said "because of what they did last three days we were at home when we had calls that they’ve come again, they came and had our two machines re-burnt. So far they’ve burnt about 9 to 10 machines on our site."
He revealed that about 150 water pumping machines have been burnt at the site.
"We had about 150 pumping machines, they have burnt all ..the biggest pumping machine that we use to rotate the water has also been burnt," he stated.
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