Grand Gedeh County District #1, and chair on Houses’ Committee on Land, Mines and Energy, Natural Resources and Environment, Representative Jeremiah Sokan.
Sokan’s defense on Wednesday, March 25, was contained in his sharply worded reaction to Bong County District #3 Representative Melvin Cole.
Cole had expressed disappointment in the decision of the Committee following the submission of a meeting finding.
Rep. Cole, after the meeting, expressed disappointment in the decision of the Committee headed by Rep. Sokan.
“The Committee is said to have sided with H and K; conceding the actual facts, only because the company has Class ‘A’ License, which was dubiously obtained,” Cole said.
In a strongly worded response to Rep. Cole’s assertions, Sokan said: “My Committee was mandated by Plenary to investigate a complaint brought by Rep. Cole involving H and K. After we received the mandate, the Committee held a series of meetings; engaged authorities at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, H and K and Rep. Cole. It was Cole, who wrote the communication and investigation was also done by visiting various sites with all players involved. But to my almost surprise at the concluding stage, Rep. Cole requested for Class ‘C’ miners’ license instead of Class ‘B’ opportunities, thus contradicting the mining Law of 2000.”
The Law states: “Wherever a class ‘A’ mining license is, there cannot be any Class ‘B’ license.”
On this rigmarole, Rep. Sokan said, they are lawmakers, and cannot at the same time, be lawbreakers.
“Though Rep. Cole plight to empower his people is good, maintaining it should not be at the aspen of breaking the law.”
Investigation continues.