The Lands Minister has ordered Akonta Mining’s permit to be revoked without delay for engaging in galamsey

Akonta Mining’s permit to be revoked

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, dropped a bombshell earlier this week, announcing that the government is pulling the plug on all mining licenses held by Akonta Mining Company Limited. The decision, which takes effect immediately, comes after a string of explosive allegations involving illegal mining operations and blatant disregard for regulations that have left communities and ecosystems reeling.

At a packed press conference in Accra on Monday, April 21, Buah didn’t mince words. He laid out a damning case against Akonta Mining, accusing the company of fueling the very crisis the government has vowed to stamp out: *galamsey*—the local term for illegal small-scale mining that has ravaged Ghana’s forests and polluted its rivers. According to the Minister, Akonta hasn’t just bent the rules—it’s allegedly orchestrated a sprawling network of environmental destruction and financial exploitation.

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“This isn’t a case of minor infractions,” Buah declared, his tone sharp with frustration. “Akonta Mining has transformed into a criminal enterprise, selling off chunks of the Aboi Forest Reserve like it’s a black-market bazaar. We’re talking about concessions being hawked for as much as GH₵300,000 a pop—or worse, traded for weekly gold royalties.” The scheme, he explained, allowed unauthorized miners to operate under Akonta’s shadow, tearing through protected lands with excavators and toxic chemicals while the company pocketed profits.

The fallout from these activities has been catastrophic. The once-lush stretches of the Aboi Forest now resemble a warzone, with gaping pits and silt-choked streams. The River Tano, a critical water source for nearby communities, has turned murky with pollutants, threatening both wildlife and human health. “These illegal miners aren’t acting alone,” Buah emphasized. “They’re shielded by Akonta’s influence, digging with impunity while the company takes a cut of their spoils. It’s a betrayal of every Ghanaian who depends on these resources.”

Details of the arrangement read like a crime thriller. For each concession sold, Akonta allegedly demanded a weekly royalty of 250 grams of gold—a staggering haul that lines the pockets of what Buah called “collaborators” within the company. But the financial gains, he stressed, pale in comparison to the long-term costs. “Every gram of gold extracted this way comes at the expense of our children’s future,” he said. “Forests that took centuries to grow are wiped out in months. Rivers that sustained generations are poisoned. Enough is enough.”

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This has taken a sledgehammer to Akonta’s operations. All mining licenses tied to the company are now null and void, and the Minerals Commission has been ordered to enforce the revocation “without delay.” But Buah didn’t stop there. He turned his fire on officials who turned a blind eye—or worse, enabled the destruction. “Forestry staff implicated in these illegalities will be suspended immediately,” he announced, adding that security agencies have been tasked with investigating officers who may have colluded with Akonta in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

The crackdown doesn’t end with suspensions. The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dominic Ayine, has taken charge of the case, signaling that prosecutions could be on the horizon. Buah made it clear that Akonta’s activities in the Tano Nimiri reserve were never legally sanctioned. “Let me be blunt: Akonta had no right to mine there. Their presence in that forest wasn’t just unethical—it was criminal,” he said.

The Minister’s fiery address also served as a shot across the bow to other mining giants. “To every large-scale operator using legal permits as a smokescreen for funding environmental havoc, consider this your wake-up call,” he warned. “We see your schemes—the shell companies, the middlemen, the backroom deals. And we’re coming for you next.”

Behind the tough talk, however, lies a deeper tension. Ghana’s battle against *galamsey* has been fraught with false starts and political finger-pointing. Previous crackdowns have fizzled, with illegal miners often returning to sites within weeks. But Buah insists this time is different. “We’re not just tearing down equipment or chasing petty miners,” he said. “We’re targeting the big fish—the financiers, the enablers, the people who think their connections make them untouchable.”

For communities near the Aboi Forest, the announcement brought a flicker of hope—and skepticism. “We’ve heard promises before,” said Kwame Asare, a local farmer whose land borders the reserve. “But if they actually shut down Akonta for good, maybe the river can heal. Maybe our children won’t have to drink poison.” Others, though, worry about the fallout. Hundreds of jobs—both legal and illegal—are tied to mining in the region, and without alternatives, desperation could fuel more chaos.

Buah acknowledged the complexity but urged patience. “This isn’t just about punishment,” he said. “It’s about restoring order, rebuilding trust, and creating a sustainable path forward.” He hinted at upcoming reforms to tighten licensing processes and ramp up monitoring but offered few specifics. For now, the message is clear: the government is drawing a line in the sand.

As the press conference wrapped, one journalist asked whether Akonta’s executives would face charges. Buah’s response was cryptic but pointed: “Let the investigations run their course. No one is above the law.”

The room buzzed with follow-ups, but the Minister had already stepped away from the podium, leaving a nation to grapple with the weight of his words—and the enormity of the task ahead.

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