Lawyer Martin Kpebu has formally petitioned President John Dramani Mahama, through the Upper East Regional Minister, to intervene in a protracted mining dispute at the Nalamtaaba concession in Talensi District, urging the full enforcement of a High Court order that allows the company to continue its operations.
Presenting the petition at the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, Kpebu addressed the Chief Director, Mr. Bless Kwame Darkey, who represented Regional Minister Hon. Donatus Akamugri Atanga, along with officials of the Regional Coordinating Council, members of the media, and other stakeholders.
In the petition, Kpebu called on the President to ensure that the Ghana Police Service is able to fully and effectively police the Nalamtaaba concession. This, he said, would enable the leaders and workers of Nalamtaaba to resume their lawful mining activities without obstruction.
Kpebu emphasised that the High Court, in the ongoing dispute between Nalamtaaba (associated with miner Zongdan Boyak Kolog, popularly known as Polo) and Shanxi (now Earl International), the Minerals Commission, and other government agencies, has ruled that Nalamtaaba may continue working pending the final determination of the matter. The court order remains in effect, he stressed.
Despite the Inspector-General of Police and his legal team having examined the order and authorised its implementation, Kpebu alleged that certain forces have interfered, preventing police personnel from carrying out their lawful duties. He described the situation as one that requires the President’s direct attention.
Highlighting the broader implications, Kpebu noted that the mine provides employment for thousands of young people in Talensi. The current disruption, he warned, is generating unemployment, which he described as a national security concern. “The devil finds work for idle hands,” he remarked, urging compliance with the court order to prevent desperation among the youth.
Kpebu also disclosed that Polo, the leader of Nalamtaaba, is currently in police custody. He appealed for his speedy admission to bail so that he can return to oversee operations more effectively. In the meantime, he called for the police to immediately assume control of the site to allow workers to return without fear of further arrests, which he described as unwarranted and lacking legal basis.
“We are a country of laws, and the order must work. The order must be implemented,” Kpebu stated. He added that previous attempts by Shanxi (now Earl International) to halt Nalamtaaba’s activities had been rejected by the courts, leaving the standing order that Nalamtaaba must continue its operations.
The petition respectfully urges President Mahama to intervene promptly so that the court order is obeyed, the police are permitted to perform their duties, and Nalamtaaba’s workers can safely resume their lawful activities.
The long-running dispute centres on competing claims over mining rights in the Gbane area of Talensi, involving local small-scale operators and larger-scale interests. It has previously drawn interventions from the Minerals Commission and raised concerns about livelihoods, safety, and community tensions in the Upper East Region.
Source: Mybluewavesonline.Com/Maurice Duncan/ Bolgatanga
