Lands and Natural Resources Minister Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh

C&G ALEKSA mining company sues government over seized equipment

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Feb - 27 - 2019 , 19:49

A mining company, C&G ALEKSA Limited, has sued the government over the seizure of its vehicles, machines and money by the Taskforce of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining.

The suit was filed at the Takoradi High Court with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Attorney-General (A-G) as the defendants.

C&G ALEKSA is seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration from the court that the invasion of its mining site and seizure of its items is “unlawful and illegal.”

It also wants an order directed at “the defendants to release its machineries, equipment and monies seized by the taskforce from its concession.”

According to the plaintiff, the seized items include three pick up vehicles, excavators, excavator chains, electric machines, oxygen cylinders, hydraulic oil pumps and a sum of Gh₵500,000.

Case of ALEKSA

In its statement of case, the mining company stated that the government granted it a mining lease to mine for gold in an area measuring 21.54 square kilometers within the Upper Wassaw Forest Reserve in the Western Region.

It averred that on February 9, 2019 during preparatory works to commence its operations, the taskforce stormed its concession and seized the vehicles and machinery.

According to the statement of case, on February 11, 2019, the mining company petitioned the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to help it reclaim its seized items, but the “Minister has till date failed or refused to assist it”.

“Unless compelled by this court, the Taskforce of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining shall not release the machinery, equipment and money to the plaintiff seized on its concession on February 9, 2019,” the statement of case averred.