President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has mounted a defence for Akonta Mining Company Limited, claiming that the firm is not involved in any illegal mining anywhere in Ghana.
Many groups and individuals have called for the arrest and prosecution of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Bosiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, owner of Akonta Mining Limited for mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western Region without recourse to the law.
But speaking at the 28th National and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association in Koforidua, President Akufo-Addo said the firm had not been involved in any wrongdoing.
Responding to the Chairperson of the event, Ken Ashigbey’s question of why Chairman Wontumi continues to walk a free man when he should be investigated and prosecuted, the President said, “Let me respond briefly to the Chairperson on the issue of illegal mining. I want to assure him and all of you that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak.
“Further, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has, through the agency of the Forestry Commission, with the assistance of the military, made the effort to cordon off all 294 sites of forest reserves in the country and rid them of illegal mining as we speak,” he added.
Akonta Mining Company Limited was stopped from mining in the Tano Nimiri forest reserve in October 2022 by the Lands Ministry.
According to the ministry, even though the firm had a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the forest reserve, the company had no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
The Special Prosecutor is currently investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, the convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Kenneth Ashigbey, has expressed disappointment with President Akufo-Addo’s defence of Akonta Mining over its alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in the country.
According to him, the comment by the President is worrying and could hinder ongoing investigations into the company’s operations.