The Government of Ghana has moved decisively against Akonta Mining Company Ltd., reportedly owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has directed the Minerals Commission to immediately revoke the company’s mining lease for engaging in unauthorized activities within the protected Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
Speaking to the media in Accra, the Minister stated that Akonta Mining’s operations in the forest reserve were illegal and violated Ghana’s mining regulations. He also ordered the Forestry Commission to suspend any officials found to have facilitated these unlawful acts.
This action reinforces the government’s continued commitment—championed by President John Dramani Mahama—to combat illegal mining, or galamsey, which has caused widespread environmental damage. Authorities are determined to identify and prosecute the financiers behind such operations, with Akonta Mining named as a major violator.
Investigations revealed that Akonta Mining had operated six illegal sites within the reserve without the necessary permits, resulting in significant environmental degradation.
In an intelligence-led operation on April 17, 2025, a joint task force from the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission arrested 51 individuals—eight Chinese nationals and 43 Ghanaians—and seized approximately 30 excavators, firearms, vehicles, motorbikes, and other mining equipment.
The Minister has instructed both the revocation of all Akonta Mining licenses and the interdiction of any Forestry Commission staff linked to the violations. He reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance stance, vowing to name, shame, and prosecute anyone involved in illegal mining, regardless of their political or social standing.
This move serves as a clear warning to all mining firms: compliance with Ghana’s mining laws is non-negotiable, and the protection of the nation’s natural resources remains a top priority.
