The Government has revoked the lease of Akonta Mining Company Limited with immediate effect.
This is because Akonta Mining does not have a lease to mine in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, making their mining activities in the forest illegal and criminal.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, briefing the press in Accra yesterday said President John Dramani has authorised the Minerals Commission to take steps to revoke the lease of Akonta Mining Company Limited with immediate effect.
Adding that the Mahama government will stop at nothing to bring the company to book.
“One of the most egregious cases we have uncovered involves Akonta Mining Company Ltd., a company legally registered and granted a government lease to mine responsibly off-reserve outside the forest,” he said.
“The company, however, did not possess an entry permit into the forest reserve of the Samreboi enclave of the Western North Region. Yet, investigations reveal that Akonta Mining has flagrantly abused this lease,” the Lands Minister said.
According to him, the Forestry Commission in August 2022, with the assistance of the Ghana Police, made some arrests of persons associated with Akonta Mining, encroaching on the forest reserves, specifically compartment 161 and the docket was supposedly transferred to Accra for further action, yet he said nothing was heard of the case.
He added that the company has not only trespassed into protected reserves but has become a criminal syndicate, selling access of the Aboi Forest Reserve to illegal miners for a staggering GH¢ 300,000 per concession.
Worse, these illegal miners operate under Akonta’s protection, devastating the River Tano and surrounding forests with impunity. They have encroached compartments 49 and 121 of the Tano Nimri forest reserve.
An undercover investigation, he said revealed a complex network of illegal mining activities linked to Akonta Mining Company Ltd, operating in the Aboi Forest Reserve and along the Tano River.
“The operation, which involves collusion between company officials, forestry officers, and security personnel, has resulted in significant environmental destruction and exploitation of local resources including illicit dealings, collusion and corruption – Weekly Royalties: The company receives 250 grams of gold in weekly royalties from the illegal miners.”
Mr Buah said that, on Thursday, a joint operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission raided six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining. The operation he enumerated resulted in 51 arrests-8 Chinese and 43 Ghanaians, seizure of about 30 excavators, five recovered and impounded at the operation base, two Pump-action guns loaded with five and two rounds of BB cartridges each, one single-barrel gun retrieved, confiscation of two Toyota Hilux pickups, one Toyota RAV4, four motorbikes, and a cache of mining equipment.
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to eradicate the scourge of illegal mining- “an environmental sin against humanity and, against God.”
BY TIMES REPORTER
