NPP Ashanti Regional Secretary, Sam Payne has commended the Regional Minister Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah for preventing Engineers and Planners from operating at Mprasaso, Kiriyaso, and Kyekyewere concessions.

Tension brewed within the Nyinahin district when brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama and his company Engineers and Planners were denied access to the Forest Reserve.

The company went to the vicinity with the equipment to begin bauxite mining operations in the Forest Reserve.

Their equipment was seized at the authority of the Regional Minister.

Commenting on the issue on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Sam Payne believed the Minister's action is in the right direction.

According to him, the Minister acted within the remits of the law and so cannot be penalized for seizing the company's equipment and preventing them from operating in the forest.

Sam Payne asked critics and opponents to not to politicize the issue since the incident was to ensure that the company has a permit before any activity can be allowed on the land.

To him, there is a simple solution to the issue and that's for Mr. Mahama to provide documents of permit to the Regional Minister.

He noted that until Mr. Mahama shows his documents, he cannot be validated to carry on with his activity.

“You don’t sit somewhere and keep posting, and charging people to go on radio to make it politics and personalize,” the issue, he advised Ibrahim Mahama.