Betterland Ghana Limited has dismissed reports that it has been mining illegally in the Draw River Forest Reserve.

A broadcast aired on GTV alleged illegal mining activities in the Draw River Forest Reserve.

However, in a statement, it said the report is false, misleading, defamatory, and calculated to injure the reputation of the firm.

“The audiovisual material aired by GTV is not from the Draw River Forest Reserve. Most of the footage originates from Atiwa Forest, yet was deliberately misrepresented as destruction in Gwira Banso.”

“This reckless misrepresentation constitutes a gross violation of journalistic ethics, a breach of professional responsibility, and a malicious attempt to mislead the public. By broadcasting unrelated footage as evidence of alleged destruction in Draw River Forest, GTV and Umaru Sanda Salifu have engaged in deliberate misinformation that undermines the credibility of state broadcasting and unfairly maligns Betterland Ghana Limited”, it explained.

It added that “Journalistic ethics require that the journalist or media house seek and present the

response of the party accused. In this case, Betterland Ghana Limited was never contacted, consulted, or given the opportunity to clarify the facts before the broadcast. This omission is a serious professional failure and evidence of bias”.

It continued that it is engaged solely in expanded exploration works, not illegal mining. “Our activities are conducted under a valid Mining License issued by the Minerals Commission after fulfilling all statutory requirements.  Exploration and preparatory works are lawful, regulated activities, distinct from illegal mining (galamsey). Any suggestion otherwise is false, defamatory, and unacceptable.”

“To equate lawful expanded exploration with illegal mining is not only misleading but also defamatory, as it imputes criminal conduct to a legitimate corporate entity”, it mentioned.

It pointed out that such reckless reporting has the potential to damage investor confidence, undermine

community relations, and erode trust in Ghana’s regulatory institutions.

Regulatory Oversight and Compliance

Betterland Ghana Limited noted that its operations are supervised daily by officials of the Forestry Commission, ensuring strict adherence to environmental and forestry laws.

“We are not operating near any river bodies or cocoa farms, contrary to the false claims made in the broadcast. The access route we use was constructed by timber firms long before Betterland

commenced exploration. Every activity undertaken is within the strict confines of Ghana’s environmental, forestry, and mining regulations”.

It added that it has consistently demonstrated transparency, compliance, and respect for regulatory oversight, and we remain committed to lawful and responsible operations.

It demanded that GTV and Umaru Sanda Salifu issue a full, unqualified public retraction and apology for the false broadcast.

Commitment to Integrity

The firm reiterated that it is not engaged in illegal mining, noting, “Our activities are lawful exploration works, conducted under strict regulatory oversight. The use of unrelated audiovisual material to depict our operations is misleading, defamatory, and unacceptable”.

It called on GTV and Umaru Sanda Salifu to uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness,

and responsibility in their reporting, saying, the public deserves truth, not sensationalism.