The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has denied the allegations circulating about the purported sale of the sacred forest in Winneba to investors for mining purposes.
The forest is specifically used for deer hunting during the Aboakyire festival.
Recent protests in Winneba were sparked by claims of the Ramsar site being handed over to investors for lithium mining, leading to public outcry.
Addressing the media, Afenyo-Markin categorically refutes the accusations, deeming them baseless and urging the public to disregard such unfounded claims.
He directly points fingers at the National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing them of orchestrating and disseminating false information to tarnish his reputation and that of the government.
In an effort to provide clarity, Afenyo-Markin cites information from the Minerals Commission, stating that there is no record of receiving any application for mining activities in the sacred forest.
He underscored that no approval has been granted to any company for lithium mining in the said area.
The Effutu MP emphasizes the need for responsible communication and urges the public to verify information before accepting it. As the controversy unfolds, efforts to dispel the allegations and uphold the sanctity of the sacred forest continue.
“The NDC in my constituency has come out with serious allegations to the effect that government officials, including my office, sat unconcerned and allowed people to buy the sacred forest of Effutu where we go for deer hunting for the mining of lithium and I simply want to say that this allegation is false.”
“In fact, the Minerals Commission two years ago stated the effect that such an application has not even been received by them, not to mention approving a company to mine lithium in that sacred forest, and so I want to put it on record that there is no such thing.”