Inter-ministerial Task Force Murders 6 Chinese Nationals...Damage Properties Worth $3bn

Hansol Mining Company Limited has accused the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce established by President John Mahama to flush out illegal miners of murdering six Chinese nationals and also taking advantage of their functions, to rob management and staff of the company. The deceased have been identified as Jian Feng, Alina Rodriquez Grinan, Xinping Liu, Feiming Mo, Jiansheng Li and Chaohua Li. �The attacks on our operations include physical assault and manhandling of our Ghanaian and Chinese staff, destruction of some of our properties, stealing and looting of our processed gold and cash in both local and foreign currencies by some members of the Taskforce and some communities respectively,� Public Relations Officer of Hansol Mining Company Limited, Edward Kwasi Akuoko said. Addressing a press conference held in Accra on Tuesday, the PRO claimed last year alone the company paid $20 million by way of tax to the state and estimated the damages caused to their property at 3 billion Dollars. �Our preliminary assessment of the equipment and monetary loss to the company as a result of these acts by the Taskforce is estimated at 3 billion Dollars excluding the cost of human lives which cannot be quantified.� �The task force raided our sites in the Ashanti region on March 18th, 2013 and made away with some kilos of gold worth $450,000, some cash, 10 pick-up vehicles and finally set ablaze some of our equipment including two excavators.� He also confirmed reports that the company indeed bribed the DCE for Amenfi West in the Western Region, Victor Samuel Meisu. He said the company initially �resisted� the bribe as demanded by the DCE because it was �unlawful�, but later went back on their words in the �spirit of good neighbourliness�, and to also safeguard their business from unwarranted attacks. According to him, the company issued cheques totaling GH�70,000.00 and were withdrawn by Asankragua NDC Chairman Kwame Kusi, ostensibly to sort out the inter-ministerial team, the police and the national security to protect the company from any attacks. Both the DCE and the NDC Chairman, have however flatly denied the bribery allegation. Below is a copy of the statement read at the press conference.