The Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Baosiako has debunked claims that his company, Akonta Mining Limited is involved in illegal small-scale mining known as “galamsey”.
The Ashanti Regional NPP chair popularly called Chairman Wontumi says that his company has all the necessary documentation to engage in the exploration of minerals in the said area.
Speaking to, Wuntumi TV on Monday, October 3, Chairman Wontumi says he is open to investigations and will make all documents available to clear rumours about his company’s unlicensed operations.
“I am appealing to them to use the law. They should do their investigations, and we should let the law work.”
“I have a large scale company which Akonta mining is under… All the required documents I have, I will make all available,” he added
According to speculations, Akonta Mining Company Limited was said to have been operating unlawfully in the Nimri Tano forest reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.
On September 30, the Ministry for lands and natural resources directed Akonta Mining Limited to halt operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest.
The Ministry asserted that despite Akonta Mining Limited having a mining lease to conduct mining activities outside of the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in some portions of Samreboi, the firm has no mineral right to conduct any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
“The attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been drawn to publications about certain operations by Akonta Mining Limited in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality in the Western Region.
“Records available to the Ministry shows that while Akonta Mining Ltd has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the Forest Reserve, the company has no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.”
According to the sector minister Samuel Abu Jinaopr, Akonta Minning Limited has requested lease to mine in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve however, the company is yet to receive any authorisation to do so. Thus, any operation in the said forest reserve is illegal.
