
Exton Cubic Group that has been directed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to halt mining operations at Nyinahini bauxite franchise in Ashanti district, has accused the EPA of not giving it a fair hearing over the bauxite prospecting deal in the Tano-Offin Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region. EPA had accused the company of entering the forest illegally and asked Exton to halt operations and take steps to obtain the right permits.

But speaking in a news analysis programme on Saturday, the
Public Relations Officer of the mining firm, Exton Cubic Group, Sammy Gyamfi said
that they had been treated unfairly. They claimed that they had all the relevant
permits from the appropriate bodies to process the bauxite but complained that they
did not get any response from EPA despite writing a number of letters
requesting mining permit.
He also added that no official of the EPA had ever visited the
concession site ever since matter came to the forefront.
“It is surprising that in all this the EPA hasn’t visited
the site to ascertain the veracity of the publications out there that we are
engaging in mining. Mining of bauxite is not something you can do in secrecy.
You have regional and national offices and we are working with you. So at least
one would have expected the EPA to at least give Exton Cubic a hearing.”
They reiterated the fact that they had not received any
correspondences from the EPA. Mr. Gyamfi also said the issue of the reclamation
bond is “totally inaccurate.”
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He said that the EPA permit had no such clause that required
them to present a report within three months in relation to the posting of
reclamation bond. According to him, the environmental permit mentioned that the
EPA would specify a period within which that reclamation bond should be posted.
The EPA, according to them, had not specified any time and took their decision
based on media reports.
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