The Minerals Commission has declared that it possesses conclusive evidence showing Akonta Mining Limited engaged in illegal mining within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, despite the company’s continuous denials.

This confirmation was made public by the Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Isaac Andrew Tandoh, during an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 22.

Tandoh explained that the Commission’s evidence includes verified intelligence, such as geolocation data and video footage, directly linking Akonta Mining to operations in protected forest areas. “For the intelligence we have now, the conditions and the videos we have now are more than enough to go after the perpetrators. The AG has been advised to pick up these conversations and make sure that the powers that are behind these perpetrators are brought to book,” he said.

In response to mounting public scrutiny, Akonta Mining has insisted that it has never operated unlawfully in any forest reserve and claims that all its activities comply with regulatory frameworks. However, Tandoh dismissed the company’s denial as a mere public relations ploy. “People can write letters and issue rebuttals in the newspapers; that is not something I will bother my head with, that will trouble me. This is just the beginning. We’ll allow the Attorney General to take over and ensure that the masterminds behind these illicit operations are dealt with in a way that deters others,” he stated.

Tandoh’s remarks reinforce the stance of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, which, on Monday, April 21, revoked Akonta Mining’s lease.

Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah revealed that the company had unlawfully expanded its operations into the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region, even though its license only permitted activities in off-reserve areas.

This announcement forms part of the government’s renewed efforts to clamp down on illegal mining, also known as galamsey, and to safeguard Ghana’s forest reserves from further degradation.