Government Revokes Akonta Mining Lease Amid Explosive Galamsey Findings
- Government intensifies crackdown on illegal mining; top officials and financiers to face prosecution
The Government of Ghana has announced the immediate revocation of Akonta Mining Company Limited’s lease following revelations of its alleged involvement in a sprawling and well-organised illegal mining network operating within protected forest reserves.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, described Akonta Mining’s actions as a “criminal syndicate” deeply implicated in the destruction of the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region.
“This company has not only trespassed into protected reserves but has also become a criminal enterprise selling access to forest lands to illegal miners,” Buah said, citing damning intelligence gathered by undercover operatives and security services.
According to the Minister, Akonta Mining, which was granted a legal lease to operate off-reserve, has been abusing that mandate by granting access to illegal miners in forest reserves at a reported cost of GHS 300,000 per concession. The syndicate’s operations have allegedly been facilitated by corrupt forestry officials and security personnel who received illicit payments in exchange for protection and tip-offs.
Intelligence-Led Raid on Good Friday
The briefing follows a major intelligence-led security operation on April 17, 2025, Good Friday, which targeted six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining. The operation led to 51 arrests, including eight Chinese nationals, and the seizure of 30 excavators, three vehicles, firearms, motorbikes, and a trove of mining equipment.
“The 12-hour raid, which began at dawn in Compartment 49 of the forest reserve, was conducted by the Ghana Police Service in collaboration with the Forestry Commission,” the Minister confirmed. “We have arrested both the local actors and foreign accomplices. These suspects are currently in custody in Accra and will be prosecuted.”
Criminal Network Structure Unveiled
The Minister laid out the structure of the illicit network, naming key figures such as a liaison known as “Mr Ayisi” and two individuals, “Mr. Henry” and “Shark”, who reportedly oversee operations on the ground. The Minister alleged that Akonta Mining receives weekly royalties in the form of 250 grams of gold from illegal miners operating under its protection.
“This is a well-oiled machinery of environmental destruction,” Buah lamented, adding that interviews with local residents also revealed that Akonta’s agents had forcibly encroached on farmlands, destroying food crops belonging to poor farmers.
Government Response and Legal Action
In what is poised to be a landmark move in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, the Minister has instructed the Minerals Commission to immediately revoke Akonta’s lease. Additionally, all forestry officials implicated in the findings are to be interdicted, and the security agencies have been tasked to investigate any security personnel connected to the company’s operations.
The Attorney-General’s Department has been formally briefed and is now leading the investigation, with the Minister pledging full prosecution of all individuals and entities involved.
“We will name, shame, and prosecute them publicly,” Buah declared. “This is a warning to all concession holders using legal leases as a cover for environmental crimes.”
Political and Legal Implications
The crackdown comes amid growing pressure on the Mahama administration to make good on its campaign promises to eliminate illegal mining, a practice that has plagued Ghana’s environment and public health for over a decade.
In his concluding remarks, Buah reiterated that the government’s objective is not only to restore degraded lands but also to dismantle the networks that fund and protect these operations.
“We will not stop until galamsey is completely uprooted. We will not stop until our rivers run blue and our forests turn green,” the Minister affirmed. “The soul of our country is at stake.”
Media and Civil Society Urged to Stay Vigilant
Buah called on the media and the public to remain vigilant and report illegal activities, assuring Ghanaians that the Mahama government would act swiftly and decisively on credible leads.
As Ghana braces for what could become the most aggressive anti-galamsey campaign in its history, the fate of Akonta Mining could set the precedent for how state authorities intend to confront both the financiers and the facilitators of illegal mining.
