The vehicles parked at the Nkawie District Police Headquarters
THE HEAVY mining equipment being used by Exton Cubic Company Ltd, which were impounded at Nyinahin, in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, have finally been removed from the area.
The sophisticated equipment, which were being kept by the Nyinahin District Police Command, have now been towed to the Nkawie District Police Headquarters, in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, for security and safety reasons.
However, the Atwima Mponua District Assembly has issued a fresh 24-hour ultimatum to Exton Cubic Company Ltd to remove its mobile houses from the Tano Offin Forest Reserve, else they would be towed away as well.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, and the Chief Executive of the Atwima Mponua District Assembly, have both confirmed the removal of the machines from Nyinahin to DAILY GUIDE during separate interviews.
Arson Threat
Mr Osei Mensah stated that the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) had information that some unscrupulous people were planning to torch the impounded machines at Nyinahin.
He added that the long vehicles that were carrying the machines seemed to have blocked the main road and so the possibility of an accident occurring in the area was high.
According to him, to prevent unscrupulous people from burning Exton Cubic’s machines and a possible crash at Nyinahin, REGSEC decided that the machines should be towed away on Tuesday at 9pm.
No Documents
The Ashanti Regional Minister disclosed that Exton Cubic Company Ltd had failed woefully to produce documents which permit it to mine or prospect for bauxite in the Tano Offin Forest Reserve at Nyinahin.
Fresh Ultimatum
The Atwima Mponua DCE, Williams Darko, gave a 24-hour ultimatum which elapsed on Friday, to Exton Cubic Company Ltd to remove its mobile houses from the Tano Offin forest.
He said the district assembly would order the national security and other appropriate security agencies in the country to remove the mobile houses from the forest reserve if its directive was not adhered to.
Machines Impounded
The Atwima Mponua District Assembly impounded complex machines belonging to Engineers and Planners (E&P) which were being carried into the forest by Exton Cubic Company Ltd, last week.
The Ashanti Regional Minister and the DCE said they ordered for the machines to be impounded because they had no knowledge of the presence of the company and its activities in the area.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi