Kumasi: Akonta Mining Company Limited, owned by Mr. Bernard Anwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has firmly denied accusations of illegal activities within the Tano Nimiri and Aboi Forest Reserves in the Western North Region. The company claims these allegations, brought forth by Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Minister of Land and Natural Resources, are unjust and premature.
According to Ghana News Agency, Akonta Mining released a statement clarifying its legal standing as a registered large-scale operation with valid leases and permits from the Minerals Commission. The company stated it has no permits for mining activities within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve and emphasized that its application for access to this reserve was never approved. “Contrary to the narrative being pushed, we are not mining – and have never mined in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve,” the statement stressed.
Mr. Buah announced at a press conference in Accra that he had instructed the Mineral Commission to revoke Akonta Mining’s leases, citing illegal activities in the forest reserves. He alleged that Akonta Mining had been leasing parts of the Aboi Forest Reserve to illegal miners for a fee and receiving weekly royalties of gold. These allegations were strongly refuted by Akonta Mining, which described them as false and defamatory, challenging anyone with evidence to come forward.
The company emphasized that responsibility for activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve lies with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Akonta Mining accused state institutions of shifting blame onto a private entity without valid grounds, stating that the public accusations and the call for license revocation without investigation were politically motivated and breached principles of natural justice.
The statement concluded by reiterating Akonta Mining’s commitment to transparency, legal compliance, and environmental responsibility, assuring the public that the company has nothing to hide.
