The Minerals Commission says neither it nor the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has received a formal application or request from FGR to put the mine under care and maintenance.
The Prestea-Bogoso Mine is currently under the control of FGR Bogoso Prestea Limited (FGR) and its principal shareholder Blue International Holdings Limited which is based in the United Kingdom.
“It has come to the attention of the Minerals Commission (the commission) that FGR Bogoso Prestea Limited the operators of the Prestea-Bogoso Mine made a verbal presentation to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (the ministry) to put the mine under care and maintenance,” a statement issued by the Corporate Affairs Department of the commission said.
The Mine was previously operated by Golden Star Resources Limited until the asset was transferred to FGR.
“For the avoidance of doubt, neither the ministry nor the commission has received a formal application or request from FGR to put the mine under care and maintenance.”
An application to suspend production, it said was clearly set out in section 51 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) which requires the holder of the Mining Lease to serve a notice to that effect on the minister.
Adding, as indicated earlier, no such request or application has been submitted to the minister pointing out that in the event that such an application was received, it shall be considered in accordance with applicable Regulations and the current state of the mine and a decision taken in the best interest of the country.
The statement noted that the commission was aware of the stoppage of mining operations in December last year, due to some operational challenges.
In conclusion, the commission said it was important to assure the public of its unflinching commitment to ensure the effective and efficient management of the mineral resources of the country, the protection of mining investment in general and the Prestea Bogoso Mine in particular to protect jobs, the local Prestea economy, community development as well as revenue generation for the benefit of the good people of Ghana.
Spokesperson for the Senior Staff Union of Bogoso-Prestea Mines, MacDonald Hickson described the performance of FGR as “nothing to write home about,” since the FG was appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo to manage the Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mines six years ago.
He accused the FG of incurring debt for the company.
Over $28 million, he claimed the company owes VRA, $15 million to GRA, and other companies including salary arrears to workers.
Mr Hickson claimed that the FGR Investors are not financially capable of paying the debts owed and, hence no attempt made by the FGR to address the challenges facing the company.
He explained that, the intended demonstration was meant to draw the attention of the sector minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor to the concerns of the workers and the financial difficulties the company was facing, due to the mismanagement of the company by FGR and to afford the minister an opportunity to save the company from collapsing.
BY TIMES REPORTER