Accra, Ghana — The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has ordered the Minerals Commission to immediately revoke the mining lease of Akonta Mining Company Ltd. This decisive action follows revelations of the company’s involvement in illegal mining within protected forest reserves.
At a press briefing held in Accra today, the Minister stated that while Akonta Mining had been granted a lease to operate outside forest reserves, the company was caught engaging in unauthorized mining within the Samreboi Forest Reserve in the Western North Region—without the necessary entry permits.
Minister Armah-Kofi Buah further disclosed that investigations had revealed the company’s deeper involvement in illicit activities. Evidence indicates that Akonta Mining was running a criminal syndicate, selling illegal access to sections of the Aboi Forest Reserve for up to GHC 300,000 per concession. The company allegedly collected weekly royalties in gold from illegal miners operating under its protection.
Key individuals implicated in the operation include persons identified as “Mr. Ayisi,” “Mr. Henry,” and “Shark,” who allegedly served as brokers and enforcers. The network reportedly received support from some forestry and security officials, who are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for protection and advance warnings of enforcement actions.
An intelligence-led operation conducted on April 17, 2025, led to a significant crackdown on six illegal mining sites. Authorities reported the following outcomes:
51 suspects arrested, including 8 Chinese nationals
30 excavators seized, with 5 impounded
Several pump-action and single-barrel firearms recovered
Vehicles and illegal mining equipment confiscated
All suspects are currently in custody in Accra, awaiting prosecution.
In response, the Minister has taken swift and far-reaching actions:
Ordered the immediate revocation of Akonta Mining’s lease
Directed the interdiction of all implicated forestry officials
Instructed security agencies to investigate officers linked to the illegal operations
Referred the case to the Attorney-General for full prosecution
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Calls for Prosecution Grow Amid Akonta Mining Scandal
Civil society and environmental advocacy groups are demanding full accountability following the government’s directive to revoke Akonta Mining’s lease.
Dr. Ing. Kenneth Ashigbe, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG), has strongly advocated for the prosecution of the company’s executives. He described the environmental destruction caused by Akonta Mining as “mass murder” and insisted that the available evidence is more than sufficient to initiate legal proceedings.
Dr. Ashigbe emphasized that this is not a new issue. “We had enough evidence to prosecute the company two years ago,” he said, lamenting the inaction that allowed further environmental degradation.
According to him, Akonta Mining not only entered the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve without proper authorization but also flouted Ghana’s national buffer zone policy by mining dangerously close to the Tano River—posing severe risks to water bodies and biodiversity in the area.
As pressure mounts on state authorities to act, stakeholders continue to call for swift and transparent legal proceedings to serve as a deterrent to other violators of Ghana’s environmental laws.
Story by Sheila Otuo Baffour