Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi
A former Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, has refuted claims suggesting that Akonta Mining is involved in illegal mining activities.
In an interview on JoyNews and monitored by GhanaWeb on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the former lawmaker stated that Akonta Mining has never entered any forest reserve to engage in illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
“It is a mistake that people who ought to know better make, referring to Akonta Mining as engaged in illegal mining. Akonta Mining is not one of the small-scale mining entities. It is a large-scale mining company and has never entered any forest reserve in Ghana,” he stated.
“It has never been the case that Akonta Mining has existed or operated in any forest zone, in fact, Akonta Mining is not among the companies permitted to engage in forest area mining,” he added.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has ordered the immediate revocation of all mining licences held by Akonta Mining Company Limited.
At a press conference on Monday, April 21,2025, he disclosed that Akonta Mining had been implicated in series of illegal activities, including unauthorised mining within protected forest reserves and illegal sale of mining concessions.
“This company has not only trespassed into protected reserves but has become a criminal syndicate, selling access of the Aboi Forest Reserve to illegal miners for a staggering GH₵300,000 per concession,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), has stated that his company, Akonta Mining Limited, will take legal action against the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources over the revocation of the company’s mining licence.
JKB/AE
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