President Akufo-Addo has rebuffed claims that Akonta Mining Company Limited, owned by the New Patriotic Party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, is actively engaging in illegal mining activities.[ads2]
According to the President, the company is not involved in any illegal mining activities as being purported in Ghana.
Responding to concerns of illegal mining activities in the country at came to the fore at the 28th National and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association in Koforidua, President Akufo-Addo said, “let me respond briefly to the chairperson on the issue of illegal mining,”.[ads3]
“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.”
Even though the company has a mining lease, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in October, 2022 instructed Akonta Mining to halt their mining operations in the forest reserve.
The issue is under investigation by the Special Prosecutor.[ads4]
