Community leaders and residents of Akango, Salman, and Nkroful in the Western Region have commended the government for revoking the mining leases of Adamus Resources Limited.

For several weeks, the communities had been agitating against what they described as the company’s unlawful operations, culminating in a demonstration to register their displeasure.

The action by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources comes a few weeks after the communities raised concerns over the alleged ceding of parts of the concession to Chinese nationals for illegal mining (galamsey) activities by the company.

These allegations were confirmed in a report by the Minerals Commission, which ultimately informed the decision to revoke the mining licence of Adamus Resources Limited.

A statement from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources noted: “Foreign nationals (Chinese) were unlawfully engaged in mining activities (‘galamsey’) on the affected concessions in contravention of Section 99(5)(a) and (b) of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).”

The communities also accused the company of operating beyond its designated concessions.

Investigations by the Minerals Commission substantiated these claims, stating: “Mining operations observed were substandard and were conducted outside designated mining areas and far from approved mine infrastructure.”

Community Reaction

The three communities have expressed excitement following the revocation of the licence of Adamus Resources Limited, stating that the move would help intensify efforts to combat illegal mining, which continues to pose a threat to local livelihoods and the environment.

The Assembly Member for the Salman Electoral Area in the Western Region, Yacoub Abdul Aziz, has urged the government to consider the economic interests of young people as part of any future arrangements regarding the concession.

“We think the local people should be prioritised in everything that is done here. A lot of the young people are struggling to survive, and we have such a resource here,” he emphasised.

The communities further expressed the view that the development of local infrastructure should be given strong consideration in any future leasing arrangements for the concession.