Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, and the Minerals Commission, have been sued by Akonta Mining Company Limited.
The lawsuit is challenging the recent revocation of Akonta Mining Company Limited’s mining lease.
The company’s legal action follows the government’s decision, announced on Monday, April 21, 2025, to cancel Akonta Mining’s license due to its alleged involvement in illegal mining—popularly known as galamsey—within protected forest reserves.
Lands Minister and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah speaking in a press conference on illegal mining stated, “In August 2022, the Forestry Commission, with the assistance of the Ghana Police, made some arrests of persons associated with Akonta Mining, encroaching on the forest reserves, specifically compartment 161. The docket was supposedly transferred to Accra for further action, and yet nothing was heard of the case.”
“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 GHC 300,000 per concession. Worse, these illegal miners operate under Akonta’s protection, devastating the River Tano and surrounding forests with impunity. They have encroached compartments 49 and 121 of the Tano Nimri forest reserve.”
He added, “We gathered a team of investigators to go undercover to make enquiries about the details of this operation. Our undercover team uncovered a well-oiled machinery of destruction. One Mr Ayisi (a representative of Akonta Mining) is the liaison on these dealings – he serves as the gatekeeper, negotiating fees and granting illegal access.”
“The concessions are then subleased to individuals like one “Mr Henry” and another individual identified as “Shark” who are to oversee the devastation of the Aboi Forest Reserve and the Tano River. As part of the agreement between Akonta Mining and the illegal miners, weekly royalties of 250 grams of gold are to be paid to the company, lining the pockets of Akonta’s collaborators.”
After making these revelations, the Minister went on to revoke the mining license of Akonta Mining Limited owned by Chairman Wontumi.
In response to these claims, the company filed a suit on Tuesday, April 29, seeking GHS 20 million in damages and a retraction of what it describes as defamatory statements.
According to the statement of claim: “Special/aggravated damages for libel published by the Defendant herein and republished by local and international media in the sum of Ghc20,000,000 (Twenty Million Ghana Cedis).”
The company is also demanding: “An order compelling the Defendant to retract the defamatory statements published against the Plaintiff Company and issue an unqualified public apology with equal prominence across media platforms, including television, radio, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X.”
Other reliefs sought include:
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An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Minister from making further defamatory statements.
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Full reimbursement of legal costs and lawyer’s fees.
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Any other relief the court may deem appropriate.
The case is expected to test the balance between government enforcement against illegal mining and the legal rights of affected companies.
