The Ghana Manganese Company which was shut down on Monday over allegations of tax evasion involving $300 million will resume work next week following crunch meeting with stakeholders in Accra on Friday, APA has learnt.
The Tarkwa-based company which is located in the mining enclave in the Western Region of Ghana was also accused of non-payment of royalties and price manipulations between 2010 and 2019.
Its over 2, 000 employees who were told to vacate the premises of the only manganese company in the country, heaved a huge sigh of relief when Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh announced the lifting of the suspension of its operation.
The crucial meeting was to clarify issues regarding an unaccounted $300 million tax revenue due government and to find an amicable solution to the impasse.
The workers had declared the intention to register their displeasure by embarking on a demonstration if the government did not rescind its decision on closure of the company.
“In light of the good faith shown by the company to work with government towards amicable resolution, including the joint manning of the weighbridge located at the mine and tonnages loaded onto ships to guarantee accurate computation of revenue, I have asked the company to resume its operations,” the minister was quoted in a statement to the press.
Officials of the Ghana Railway Corporation which is surviving on the conveyance of manganese to Takoradi Harbour expressed grave concern about the closure, warning it would affect its revenue.
The closure of the company put the government of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in a bad light as political analysts, social commentators as well as a section of the general public accused it tof collapsing businesses leading to job losses.
Some of the critics cited the collapse of seven private banks last year which led to over 3000 employees losing their jobs as well as numerous microfinance companies tforced to shut down.
DAP/as/APA