Community leaders and residents of Akango, Salman, and Nkroful in the Western Region have welcomed the government’s decision to revoke the mining leases of Adamus Resources Limited, describing the move as a significant step toward addressing illegal mining and protecting local livelihoods.
The decision by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources follows weeks of agitation by the affected communities, including a demonstration over what they alleged were unlawful mining operations by the company.
Residents had earlier raised concerns about the alleged ceding of parts of the concession to foreign nationals, particularly Chinese operators, for illegal mining (galamsey) activities. These claims were subsequently confirmed in a report by the Minerals Commission, which informed the revocation of the company’s licence.
According to the Ministry, “Foreign nationals (Chinese) were unlawfully engaged in mining activities (‘galamsey’) on the affected concessions in contravention of Section 99(5)(a) and (b) of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).”
Further investigations by the Minerals Commission also found that mining operations were substandard and conducted outside approved concession areas and designated infrastructure zones.
Reacting to the development, the communities expressed optimism that the revocation would strengthen efforts to combat illegal mining, which continues to threaten the environment and local economic activities.
The Assembly Member for the Salman Electoral Area, Yacoub Abdul Aziz, urged the government to prioritise the economic interests of local residents, particularly young people, in any future arrangements concerning the concession.
“We think the local people should be prioritised in everything that is done here. A lot of the young people are struggling to survive, and we have such a resource here,” he stated.
Residents also called for greater attention to infrastructure development within the affected communities as part of any new leasing framework, emphasising the need for long-term, sustainable benefits from the area’s natural resources.
