Lands Minister Orders Immediate Takeover Of Adamus Mines After Licence Revocation.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has directed the Minerals Commission to take immediate administrative control of Adamus Resources Limited’s mining operations following the official revocation of the company’s mining leases, including those in Salma and Akango.
The directive follows recommendations from the Chief Inspector of Mines and the Minerals Commission, which cited severe violations of the Minerals and Mining Act and associated safety regulations.
A Ministerial Review Committee set up to evaluate a petition filed by Adamus Resources subsequently upheld the decision to revoke the leases after determining that the violations warranted full revocation.
Speaking during a working visit to the facility alongside the Minerals Commission to receive a report from the Interim Management Committee (IMC), the Minister outlined key priorities for the takeover, placing worker welfare, operational safety, and job security at the forefront.
Providing details on the operational challenges facing the mine, the Chairperson of the Minerals Commission’s Interim Management Committee, Mawufemor Otsyino, said inspectors from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detected serious concerns during a site inspection on 21 May.
According to her, the mine did not have adequate freeboard space the safety margin between the water level and the crest of the tailings dam because the tailings dam construction had exceeded its expected completion timeline by between 12 and 18 months.
She explained that unusually heavy rainfall in May and June significantly worsened the situation.
She said management therefore decided to shut down operations on 22 June in order to mobilise resources to remove excess water from the dam and ensure its structural stability.
Story by Nana Fynn@W/R.
