Management of Summertide Company Limited has amicably resolved the misunderstanding between its organisation and the chiefs and elders of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council in the Eastern Region.
The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area was not happy with the company, which is into extraction of sand and related activities within the area leading to misunderstanding and placement of ban on the latter.
Addressing a group of media practitioners in Accra on Monday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Summertide Company Limited, Mr Samuel Atsu Forson noted that his outfit has resolved all matters of concern with the respected traditional council.
“Our decision to smoke peace pipe with the chiefs and elders of Akyem Abuakwa has informed the decision of the management of the company to engage the media today to educate and inform the general public that the company has settled its case with the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council. We expect peace to prevail now and forever,” he noted.
He rendered an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and, indeed, all citizens of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.
The Summertide Company Limited CEO continued that the company has also petitioned Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin and pleaded for forgiveness. The company denied widespread media reports that it has engaged in illegal sand winning activities in Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.
He stated categorically that its Commercial sand winning activities in the area was in confinement of the Minerals and Mining laws and regulations.
According to Mr. Forson, the company has valid or legal working environmental permits and licenses from state mining regulatory institutions including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission of Ghana to carry out legal sand winning in the area.
Consequently, Mr. Forson called on the general public to disregard the allegations levelled against the company, saying that they are law-abiding citizens who generally respect the laws in the country and would be the last persons to engage in any bad or illegal activities, which would be contrary to the laws and regulations of this country.
To buttress his case, Mr. Forson showed various copies of the legal statutory documents and environmental operating permits and licenses from the Environmental Protection Agency, Minerals Commission, National Insurance Commission, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to prove his case that indeed the company’s operations were legal and licensed by appropriate state mining regulatory authorities.According to him, they have secured a legal and genuine lease agreement with the custodian owners of the lands to win sand in the area.
