By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Dec 05, GNA – Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, a New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Effufu, has refuted allegations made by some National Democratic Congress Members in the constituency that government officials including his office have sold the sacred forest of Effutu for the mining of Lithium.
Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Afenyo-Markin, said the allegations were false, and not true that the sacred forest where deers were hunted had been sold for the mining of Lithium.
“…I simply want to say this allegation is false, is never true and in fact, the minerals commission two years ago issued a statement to the effect that such application has not even been received by them let alone approving for the company to mine lithium in that sacred forest where we hunt for deer during “Aboakyir”, he said.
“So, I just want to set the record straight. Put it on record that there is no such thing,” he added.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, also the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament House, therefore urged his colleagues in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to focus on the challenges facing constituents and engage in issues of development rather than polluting the people with misinformation and lies adding “Such a practice does not help in democracy.”
He said the Minerals Commission Chief Executive had also denied such an allegation.
“This morning, I am reliably informed that the Minerals Commission chief executive in a national dialogue has had cause to again reiterate that, what is being put out there by the NDC in Effutu is untrue, unfounded and he as chief executive of minerals commission has not signed any lease agreement for mining of lithium in that enclave where we hunt for deers,” he stated.
The Effutu traditional area has over the last 300 years been designated a forest reserve for the protection of bushbuck for an annual hunt to celebrate the Aboakyir festival.
The Aboakyir festival is a bushbuck hunting festival celebrated by the people of Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana.
GNA