A former Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, has denied claims that he seized the mining licence of Kingston Okomeng Kissi, a former Board Chairman of the Precious Minerals and Marketing Company (PMMC).

Okomeng Kissi is alleged to have accused the former Lands Minister of canceling his mining license when he spoke in an interview on Accra-based radio station, Oman FM, which was also aired on Net2 TV on May 5, 2021.

Asomah-Kyeremeh, insisted that he never canceled nor seized Okomeng Kissi’s mining licence as alleged.

For him, the allegation is politically motivated, to demonise his tenure in office as the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.

Asomah-Kyeremeh’s lawyer, Kwabena Asare Atuah, in a statement said the allegations and “the actions of Kingston Okomeng Kissi is just to paint my client black before government and the [NPP] party”.

He added that “this story is one of the unfortunate stories to tarnish the image of my client in the public domain. Kingston Okomeng Kissi’s claims are untrue and a total fabrication, coming at a time my client is no longer in office”.

Mr. Atuah explained that the “facts are rather that my client met with Kingston Okomeng Kissi at the office of the Chief of Staff once to discuss Kingston Okomeng Kissi’s claim of ownership of that site” and that after the said meeting, Mr. Asomah-Kyeremeh tasked the Minerals Commission to look into the matter.

He said that was done because “the report from the Minerals Commission indicated that the area was encumbered and belonged to someone else who had secured all documentation”.

For Atuah, the former Lands and Natural Resources Minister did not play any role to take Okomeng Kissi’s mining licence, challenging him to produce any documentation contrary to the report of the Minerals Commission.

“We, therefore, ask Kingston Okomeng Kissi to produce whatever documents he (Kingston Okomeng Kiss) has, showing that the area belonged to him (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) for which he (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) claims my client took away,” he stated.

He further added that “as a miner, Kingston Okomeng Kissi has to know that a legitimate claim to a lease of licence can only be proved by a valid mining lease.”

Mr. Atuah said any interested party in the case can seek further details on the issues from the Minerals Commission, which is the custodian of all leases and documents relating to mining.