Four individuals have petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department(CID) to investigate and prosecute Akonta Mining Ltd and Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi for undertaking illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest reserve.
The petitioners, Ken Ashigbey, Martin Kpebu, Kwame Asiedu and Edem Senanu contend that illegal mining (galamsey) has caused a loss of parts of Ghana’s forest cover, polluted water bodies, and poses other threats to them and other Ghanaians.
The petitioners noted that a review of the enclosed documentary (Annexure 1) by Multimedia (Joy Fm) and Erastus Asare Donkor, shows that in the months of August and September 2022 or thereabouts, the above-mentioned company and Chairman Wontumi undertook illegal mining/mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. Indeed, the same persons conducted prospecting in the same Forest without the requisite licences/permits.
The petition said “To buttress our point, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor Esq issued a press statement on 30 September 2022 which statement among others confirms that Akonta Mining had no business going into the Forest to conduct any mining and mining related operations.”
It added: “The Minister subsequently confirmed the illegality in an interview on Joy Fm. Annexed is a copy of the statement as Annexure 2 and the interview as Annexure 3. Similarly, the Minerals Commission has confirmed the illegality in a press statement dated 3rd October 2022 and annexed herein as Annexure 4.”
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