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Management of Exton Cubic Group Limited has denied media reports that the company is owned by business tycoon and younger brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, Mr. Ibrahim Mahama.

They were emphatic that Mr. Ibrahim Mahama has no linkage whatsoever with the company as purported by some “powerful politicians” over the few days.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, Communications Director of Exton Cubic, Sammy Gyamfi, described the claims as “political witch-hunting” and an attempt “to destroy a Ghanaian owned company. This is not fair.”

“Leave Mr. Ibrahim Mahama out of this,” he noted.

According to Sammy Gyamfi, Exton Cubic only hired Engineers and Planners (E&P) - a company which belongs to Ibrahim Mahama to work for them but their equipment were impounded by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah with claims of illegal mining.

“We wish to state emphatically that those claims are false and a total misrepresentation of the actual facts of the issue. We wish to state unequivocally that Exton Cubic Group has never engaged in any illegal mining activity in Ghana,” he said.

Sammy Gyamfi said when addressing the media following the seizure of trucks belonging to Ibrahim Mahama’s E&P, which was undertaking “preparatory works at the concession” in Nyinahin.

The Group also discosed that the seizure of their equipment by government has resulted in a halt of the company’s operations, resulting in losses of over $40,000 daily.

The group’s Communications Director says they are in talks with their lawyers to take legal action against the agencies frustrating their efforts since they are suffering heavy financial losses over the halt in their prospecting activity.

Sammy Gyamfi, revealed they are “ready, we have all our permits, Engineers and Planning have not committed any offence, Exton Cubic has not committed any offence, but we have been told by the minister that he is not ready to meet with us and that is why it has become a legal issue and we trust that our lawyers will deal with that.”

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, has said his decision not to allow Exton Cubic Group to continue mining bauxite at the Tano-Offin Forest Reserve in the Atwima Mponua District is in the interest of the country.

Mr Osei-Mensah seized the equipment and logistics hired by the company for its operations, and has vowed not to release the equipment until the Lands and Natural Resourcse Minister, John Peter Amewu produces documents to show they have been licensed to mine in the region. The equipment belongs to Engineers and Planners Co. Ltd, a company owned by Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Dramani Mahama.

Some critics have argued Mr Osei-Mensah has taken an entrenched position to witch-hunt the brother of the former president, but the Minister insists his stance is not political.