“Until the Lands and Natural Resources Minister expressly attach a covering letter on the dossier of documents permitting Exton Cubic Group Limited to work in the Ashanti region, I am not releasing the impounded trucks to them,” the Ashanti Regional Minister told Kasapa 102.5 FM Tuesday.

Following the seizure of trucks belonging to Ibrahim Mahama’s E&P, which was undertaking “preparatory works at the Nyinahini bauxite concession, Exton Cubic Group said its legal team is engaging the police over the issue adding “…it is our hope that the police will release the impounded trucks as soon as possible to forestall any further pecuniary losses to us.”

Its statement released Tuesday on the matter said”

“It came to us as a surprise when without any lawful excuse, the District Chief Executive of Atwima Mponua District Assembly and the Ashanti Regional Minister caused the trucks of the subcontractor to be impounded in the center of the Nyinahini township.

“After going through all the laid down procedures required by law, Exton Cubic Group Limited was granted a mining lease for the Nyinahini Bauxite Deposit by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources on the 29th of December 2016. This mining lease was registered at the lands commission of Ghana on the 9th of January 2017,”

But in an interview with the Ashanti Regional Minister on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM, Mr. Simon Osei Mensah said he has an obligation to protect his enclave, hence he would not yield in to pressure by the company if the right thing is not done.

He told host Fiifi Banson, “I don’t know any other company apart from those three which has been given a permit to work that I am privy to. Why didn’t they copy me and the Atwima Mponua DCE in the said documents?

Explaining why he caused the trucks to be impounded, Mr. Osei Mensah said: “I’ve met with the Lands and Natural Resources Minister and he told me that only three companies are permitted to work in the Ashanti region. He mentioned the companies as follows, Anglogold Ashanti, Asanko Gold, and Owere Mines. These are the names of companies that he said are permitted to work in the Ashanti region. So if there is any other he has to communicate to me properly.”