Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has rejected claims that President John Mahama influenced the process that led to the award of the Damang Mine lease to Engineers & Planners, insisting the President stepped aside to ensure transparency.
According to him, President Mahama recused himself from Cabinet deliberations on the Damang mining lease because a company linked to his brother was involved, describing the move as an ethical decision to avoid any perception of interference in the process.
“On the contrary, I will argue that the biggest obstacle to E&P taking that mine was the President. At the Cabinet meeting that considered that particular matter of the Damang mining lease, the President recused himself. He did not sit in that meeting because he believed that it was an ethical thing to do,” Kwakye Ofosu stated in an interview with Joy News on Monday, May 19.
He further argued that the process leading to the selection of Engineers & Planners was one of the most competitive mining concession processes undertaken in the country, stressing that Cabinet insisted on a competitive tender rather than a direct award.
“When the minister came, the Cabinet records will show that the Cabinet insisted that a competitive process be used to select which company gets it. The President was not part of the decision-making and did not stampede the process.”
Kwakye Ofosu maintained that the government could have handed the concession directly to Engineers & Planners if there had been any intention to manipulate the process, but said Cabinet members instead pushed for a transparent and competitive system.
“The debate at Cabinet that day was rigorous. People voiced their views frankly, without fear or favour. There was no rubber-stamp decision at that place.”
He added that contrary to allegations that President Mahama facilitated the acquisition of the mine for his brother’s company, the President’s conduct rather made the process more difficult for Engineers & Planners. “If you say that the President handed over to his brother, I would even agree that the President was the biggest stumbling block to E&P’s acquisition of the Damang Mine,” he stated.
The comments come after the Government of Ghana confirmed Engineers & Planners Limited as the successful bidder for the Damang Gold Mine following a competitive tender process conducted by the Minerals Commission.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources announced that out of four companies that submitted bids, only Engineers & Planners Limited and Heath Goldfields Limited met the mandatory requirements outlined in the tender notice, while Maripoma Mining Services Ltd and Vortex Resources Mining Group were disqualified for failing to provide the required documentation.
