Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako Wontumi

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has ordered the revocation of the mining licence of Akonta Mining Company Limited.

The company, owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has faced intense criticism for its operations in the Nimiri Forest.

A government-released video showed what they say is the extent of environmental destruction caused by Akonta Mining, with reports suggesting that parts of the forest were sold off as concessions.

In response, many Ghanaians have expressed excitement over the revocation, with some calling for Wontumi's arrest alongside the license cancellation.

This GhanaWeb piece takes a closer look at some Ghanaians, as well as groups who have called for the prosecution of Akonta Mining and its owner in the last eight years.

Catholic Bishops Conference to government

On November 14, 2022, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, in a communique issued after their plenary assembly at Donkokrom, in the Eastern Region, called on the government to go after financiers behind illegal mining.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference joined calls for the arrest of Chairman Wontumi for illegal mining in the Nimiri Forest Reserve.

“We urge the relevant agencies responsible for the protection and preservation of our natural resources to ensure the prosecution of the financiers of activities that result in major crises facing the country, such as illegal mining (galamsey).

“One critical example is the call for prosecution of the owners of Akonta Mining Limited, among others, who have been accused by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, confirmed by the Minerals Commission and reported in the media,” the statement read.

Ken Ashigbey

On June 10, 2023, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, the Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG), urged the media and civil society groups to exert pressure on leaders to ensure the prosecution of the directors of Akonta Mining Limited.

According to Dr Ashigbey, the directors of Akonta Mining Limited have caused significant devastation to water bodies and lands within their concession.

He said he believed that the prosecution of these individuals had been delayed for far too long.

To address this issue, Dr Ashigbey called upon Civil Society Organisations and the media to initiate a robust advocacy campaign to ensure that the directors of Akonta Mining Limited face legal consequences for their actions.

During an appearance on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Dr Ashigbey emphasised that there is substantial evidence to demonstrate that Akonta Mining has violated the regulations set forth by the Minerals Commission.

Given this evidence, he expressed his expectation that appropriate action would have been taken against the company, resulting in their appearance in court.

Dr Ashigbey highlighted the disappointment surrounding the delay in prosecuting Akonta Mining, considering the significant passage of time.

He explained, “If you take our constitution, sovereignty resides in the people. The same constitution also gives the media the mandate to hold leadership to account. You need to make sure that the Director General of CID, the Attorney General, and the judiciary ensure that the likes of the directors of Akonta Mining and other influential people, including Aisha Huang and Yaw Danso Bosome Freho, the former District Chief Executive, are brought to book.

“It is really important that leaders take action. Today, we are out there planting trees. For example, in the case of Akonta Mining, the number of trees that have been cut down from these forests is alarming."

Group to IGP

On Thursday, January 5, 2023, a new call was made for the arrest and prosecution of directors and officers of Akonta Mining Limited.

The group known as the Media Coalition Against Galamsey revived its calls via a January 3, 2023, statement to the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare.

“We are currently unaware of any actions to investigate, arrest and prosecute the directors and officers of Akonta Mining Ltd, despite the incontrovertible evidence that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, his Ministry and the Minerals Commission have in their possession, which shows that the said company has in fact undertaken the alleged illegal mining operations," the statement read in part.

Martin Kpebu

On December 7, 2023, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu reiterated his call for the swift prosecution of Akonta Mining Company, owned by Chairman Wontumi.

Referencing the four-and-a-half-year jail term imposed on notorious Chinese illegal mining kingpin, Aisha Huang, by a High Court, Kpebu wondered why a petition filed against Wontumi’s firm was not acted upon by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.

“Aisha Huang’s own is even better than ours. Like you said earlier, we petitioned against Chairman Wontumi – Antwi Boasiako, NPP Chairman, and over one year, the CID boss hasn’t taken the case to court… Yes, Akonta Mining, we’ve made several appeals to DCOP Faustina Andoh Kwofie that she must take this case to court,” he stated in an interview on JoyNews on Tuesday, December 4, 2023.

He noted that the Minerals Commission, which is responsible for issuing licenses and permits for mining companies, has maintained that it never permitted Akonta Mining to conduct mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve and therefore, the company must pay for illegally entering the reserved eco-habitat.

“Today, 4th December, 2023, Martin Ayisi (Minerals Commission Chief Executive Officer) repeated it that they still stand where they are, that they never gave Akonta Mining any mining lease to go into the Tano Nimiri Forest. So, what is it about the case that Madam Andoh Kwofie, who is also a lawyer, what is she scared of? What is rocket science about it?” he stated.

VKB/AE

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