The Managing Director of Prestea Sankofa Mines Limited, Justice Acquah, has incurred the displeasure of members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency following his refusal to resign from his office despite a change of government.
Members of the NDC in the Constituency who are unhappy with the development are beginning to agitate due to the constant appearance of the MD at the company’s premises since the exit of his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Credible information indicates that the Member of Parliament (MP) for Prestea Huni-Valley, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, had received complaints to this effect and decided to intervene to calm nerves following Justice Acquah’s conduct.
According to reliable sources, the MP and his constituency executives convened a meeting with the Managing Director of the state-owned company and advised him against any act of defiance that could tamper with his own safety. They also advised him to stay aside while the government went through the recruitment process to announce the name of the new MD. Then, he will come to the company to hand over peacefully.
This move by the lawmaker appeared to many as the panacea to calm the nerves of the angry party followers who wanted the company’s MD out of office following the change of government.
Unfortunately, the MP’s intervention did not convince the MD to stay away from the company’s operations and day-to-day activities. He kept showing up at the premises, to the anger of NDC sympathizers.
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The Divisional Chief of Prestea Hemang, Nana Nteboah Pra IV, confirmed this in an interview.
He said the lawmaker’s intervention could have resolved everything and settled the matter but for the MD’s conduct.
“I understand everything. The MP wanted peace to prevail, so he advised the MD to consider his safety and do the right thing. But the workers say he is always on the premises. So I am not surprised people are agitating,” Nana Nteboah Pra IV said in the interview.
The state-owned mining company was shut down in 2014 due to mismanagement and high indebtedness to suppliers and companies it operated with in the mining business.
In 2018, the company returned to operations, and interim management was appointed to preside over its activities.
Justice Acquah, the current MD of the company, was appointed as the third MD following its revival.
Prestea Sankofa Gold Mines is the only state-owned mining company currently operating in the country, and virtually everything is done in terms of operations centers around processes that require tailing residue.
Interestingly, many community members in the area are beginning to speculate that Justice Acquah’s continued stay in the office could further aggravate the company’s challenges. They believe he is burnt on running the wobbly company down because of his political affiliation.
“He is doing everything possible to bring down the company, and we will not watch him destroy it,” Michael Addo, one of the agitated youth activists, said.
Currently, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) owns ninety percent (90%) of the company’s shares, while the government of Ghana owns ten percent (10%) shares.
This makes it an entirely state-owned company with a staff of nearly four hundred (400) people.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com
