File photo of an illegal mining activity
The owner of Akonta Mining Limited, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, has responded squarely to a palpable lie being told by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah in an attempt to link his company to illegal mining.
The minister is also on record to have stated that Akonta Mining has also been illegally selling concessions within the Aboi Forest to unauthorised miners for up to GH¢300,000, and in some cases, in exchange for gold royalties.
To resolve the mystery being created by the minister, Mr. Antwi-Boasiako advised the minister to take the issue to court.
“I challenge them that this is a lie, I haven’t given anything to anybody, so the best place to go is the court”, he said.
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi stated that he hasn’t also authorized the sale of any concession within the Aboi Forest to any miner and is challenging Armah Kofi Buah to show Ghanaians evidence of his allegation.
“Your allegation is not true”, Chairman Wontumi said and maintained his innocence stating that “I have never worked in the forest before. I am challenging you that it is not true. Anybody claiming to have given me money should come and prove it”.
On the issue of revocation of his mining licence, Chairman Wontumi told the minister that “you can’t use allegations to revoke my incense”.
“I have never gone there to mine”, Chairman Wontumi told Wontumionline.com when asked about the Aboi Forest.
“I have never been to Aboi forest. I don’t work there. I don’t have licence there. Forestry Commission is responsible for the forest not me so they should be asked.
In 2023, the Minerals Commission and minister directed the Forestry Commission to take charge of the place. I never stepped my foot there”, he added.
