Accusation of mining in forest reserves
Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, the owner of Akonta Mining and the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is facing a series of allegations and investigations involving his company.
Reports accuse Akonta Mining of engaging in illegal mining activities within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. The company has also been linked to collaborations with Chinese nationals in the destruction of rivers and water bodies in forested areas.
Revocation of mining license
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has directed the Minerals Commission to revoke Akonta Mining Ltd’s license due to alleged illegal operations.
Speaking at a press briefing on April 21, 2025, the minister highlighted findings from a joint operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission. The operation uncovered six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining.
He elaborated: “Some interviews with residents indicate that Akonta Mining uses force to encroach on and destroy farmlands and produce belonging to poor farmers in the area.”
The operation in Compartment 49, conducted on Good Friday (April 17, 2025), lasted 12 hours and yielded the following results:
•51 arrests: 8 Chinese nationals, 39 Ghanaian men, 4 Ghanaian women
•Seizures: 30 excavators (5 impounded), 2 pump-action guns, 1 single-barrel gun, 2 Toyota Hilux pickups, 1 Toyota RAV4, 4 motorbikes, and other mining equipment.
The suspects were transported to Accra and remain in police custody pending prosecution.
Freezing of bank accounts
The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has frozen all bank accounts linked to Bernard Antwi Boasiako and Akonta Mining.
A document sighted by GhanaWeb indicates this action was taken under Section 56(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
The directive includes:
1.Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi)
2.Akonta Mining
3.Hallmark Civil Engineering Limited
“All accounts associated with the above-named subjects are to be frozen immediately, pending further directives,” the FIC noted.
The freezing of accounts follows heightened scrutiny of Akonta Mining’s activities, compounded by the revocation of its license.
Denial of allegations
Akonta Mining Ltd has denied all allegations of illegal mining within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, describing them as “false and misleading.”
In a statement released on April 22, 2025, the company condemned the revocation of its license as a violation of natural justice.
“We are not responsible for activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. That responsibility lies solely with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources,” the statement read.
The company accused the minister of publicly tarnishing its reputation without due process, asserting, “The decision to revoke our license without investigation is politically motivated and unfair.”
Akonta Mining reiterated its commitment to transparency and legal compliance, dismissing allegations of accepting GH¢350,000 from illegal miners as “entirely false and defamatory.”
