The Land Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the issuance of mining operating and prospecting licenses to Xtra Gold Mining Limited.

The mining company was affected by Operation Halt II, an exercise initiated by government to clamp down on illegal mining activities around the country's water bodies and forest reserves.

During the anti-galamsey exercise, it is reported that 16 of its excavators and one bulldozer on its concessions in Atewa West District were destroyed.

Managers of the company, however, deny being engaged in galamsey and insist their mining activities are legal and environmentally friendly and have described the action by the military as "a clear violation of the rule of law”.

Following the incident, its General Manager, also the Women's Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kate Gyamfua hinted at seeking legal redress "if need be".

In a letter dated May 21 addressed to the CEO of the Minerals Commission, Mr Jinapor stated that the "alleged decommissioning is said to have resulted in the from activities of Xtra Gold Mining Limited in or around some water bodies in the Eastern Region, contrary to the mining laws and policies of our country".

He continued, "It has also come to my attention that sometime in March 2021, barely 2 months before the decommissioning, Xtra Gold Mining Limited was issued with three (3) Mining Operating Permits and one (1) Mining Prospecting Operating Permit for its operations in the Eastern Region".

In order to "fully understand the issuance of the operating permits, a committee made up of the Minister’s Advisor on Mines, a nominee from the Ghana Institute of Engineers and the Deputy-Minister designate, George Mireku Duker will conduct the investigation. The committee will be chaired by Mr Mireku-Duker.

The committee’s report on the investigations, according to the letter, is due June 20, 2021 and should include investigations into other permits issued under “such similar circumstances”.