The Minerals Commission has explained that mining company, Koantwi Company Ltd only has the license to mine but is not permitted to undertake reconnaissance/prospecting as being speculated by MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini.
A statement issued by the Minerals Commission on Monday(29 August) said “For the avoidance of doubt, the ban does not extend to mining or the actual extraction of minerals,” the Minerals Commission maintained in a statement issued on Monday.
The Minerals Commission reiterated that a reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploration licence is fundamentally different from a mining lease saying “the ban issued in 2021 by the Minister was in respect of reconnaissance, prospecting and/exploration in Forest Reserves except in exceptional circumstances.”
This was in response to the lawmaker’s publication suggesting that the Minerals Commission was not candid when it said that the Minister has not issued a reconnaissance and/or prospecting licence to mining companies.
Below is the full statement
The Minerals Commission in an earlier statement had insisted that no mining company has been licensed to prospect for minerals in the country’s forest reserves.
