A former Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh has debunked claims that he seized a mining lease of Mr Kingston Okomeng Kissi.
Former Board Chairman of Precious Minerals and Marketing Company (PMMC), and the Eastern Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kissi had accused the former minister of cancelling his mining lease and licence.
However, in a statement, lawyer for the former Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Mr Kwabena Asare Atuah has described the allegation as untrue and that it is a politically motivated effort to demonise the tenure of his client in office.
“The actions of Kingston Okomeng Kissi is just to paint my client black before government and the party.
“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”, the statement pointed out.
According to the statement, “The true 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.
Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources 
Mr Kingston Okomeng Kissi, NPP Eastern Regional Chairman
“Flowing from the meeting at the Chief of Staff’s office, his client (the former Lands Minister) tasked the Minerals Commission to look into the matter.
“The report from the Minerals Commission indicated that the area was encumbered and belonged to someone else who had secured all documentation”.
Consequently, Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh’s lawyer has thrown a challenge to the former PMMC Board Chairman to present to the public, documentation that are inversely opposed 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. 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”, the lawyer stressed.
Assuring the public, the lawyer said the matter can best be checked from Minerals Commission, which is the custodian of all leases/documents relating to mining.
Read below the statement by the Counsel for Lawyer Asomah-Cheremeh:
28TH DAY OF MAY, 2021
SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT
Respectfully, I act as Counsel for Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh (hereinafter referred to as my client) upon whose instructions I write this statement.
My client’s attention has been drawn to an audio circulating on social media and other media platforms where the former Board Chair of Precious Minerals and Marketing Company (PMMC) and the Eastern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Kingston Okomeng Kissi in an interview on Oman FM and aired on Net2 TV on the 5th day of May, 2021 where he (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) stated that, my client Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources cancelled and took away the renewal of the mining lease of Kingston Okomeng Kissi and gave it out to other persons/entities.
Kingston Okomeng Kissi further claimed that when the documents were done, it was posted or pasted on the Nkawkaw Municipal Assembly’s notice board. The MCE wrote to the Minerals Commission that the said particular area on the documents belonged to someone so it cannot be given to another person. Kingston Okomeng Kissi further stated that he (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) went to the office of my client with a petition and documents purporting that he (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) owns the said area. The NDC could not take that particular area from him (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) but rather my client has taken away his (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) mining lease.
Kingston Okomeng Kissi further stated that the matter appeared before the Chief of Staff and same was deliberated upon for about ten (10) times and the Chief of Staff asked my client to give back the licence to Kingston Okomeng Kissi but my client refused.
My client wants to state emphatically that he has never cancelled nor taken away Kingston Okomeng Kissi’s licence as he (Kingston Okomeng Kissi) claims.
The true 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.
My client tasked the Minerals Commission to look into the matter. The report from the Minerals Commission revealed that the area was encumbered and belonged to someone else who had already secured all necessary documentations.
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. 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. Also, the law enjoins the regulatory body to ensure that mining is done in accordance with the terms of the lease or licence.
My client has not done what Kingston Okomeng Kissi is imputing to him as my client was very much aware it was unlawful and illegal to do 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.
The actions of Kingston Okomeng Kissi is just to paint my client black before government and the party. Kingston Okomeng Kissi should not forget that it took the collective responsibilities of party officers like Regional Chairmen to work tirelessly to bring the party into power. My client as a former Regional Chairman for the then Brong Ahafo Region cannot and will not treat Kingston Okomeng Kissi the manner he Kingston Okomeng Kissi is claiming against my client.
Thank you.
………………………………….
KWABENA ASARE ATUAH
COUNSEL FOR KWAKU ASOMAH-CHEREMEH
