The Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Lydia Yaako Donkor, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), has revealed that the investigation of NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako’s Akonta Mining Limited is ongoing.
Akonta Mining Limited has been accused of undertaking mining operations without a licence, polluting water bodies, and entering a forest reserve without authorisation.
Speaking at a press conference briefing in Accra on Monday, June 30, DCOP Yaako Donkor stated, “The case is also actively ongoing. Chairman Wontumi has visited a number of times. He is also actually supposed to be coming to us sometime this week, but unfortunately, he was ill — his lawyer submitted a letter to us stating that he was ill. I believe he is now okay because we have communicated to them that he should see us this week, and they have responded”.
“I must mention that he is not the only one we have arrested or are investigating. A number of people are being considered as persons of interest. Last week, for example, we had a party on Agor, who was part of the investigation related to do with Akonta Mining.
“He was arrested here and detained. We have taken a statement from him, and we are continuing with that investigation. I want to assure you that that particular investigation is actively ongoing, and when we are done, we will definitely inform the public of the final action,” she said.
The Lands Minister in a press conference stated, “Some interviews conducted with a few residents indicate that the modus operandi of Akonta Mining is to use force to enter and destroy even the farmlands and produce of poor farmers in the area.
“Armed with this intel, on the eve of Good Friday (17th April 2025) an intelligence-led operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission led to the raid of six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining”.
He added, “ Armed with this intel, on the eve of Good Friday (17th April 2025) an intelligence-led operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission led to the raid of six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining.
The operation in Compartment 49, which began at 5 a.m. and lasted a whopping 12 hours, resulted in:
* 51 arrests (8 Chinese, 39 Ghanaian men, 4 Ghanaian women)
* Seizure of about 30 excavators, 5 recovered and impounded at the operation base
* 2 Pump-action guns loaded with 5 and 2 rounds of BB cartridges each, 1 single-barrel gun retrieved
* Confiscation of 2 Toyota Hilux pickups, 1 Toyota RAV4, 4 motorbikes, and a cache of mining equipment.
Meanwhile, Ghana Coalition against Galamsey is mounting pressure on the Mahama government to urgently prosecute Chairman Wontumi’s Akonta Mining Ltd and guilty government officials over illegal mining in forest reserves and rivers.
According to the Coalition against Galamsey, they were assured of swift action, yet no arrest has been effected, nor prosecution.
