Kpebu, Ashigbey renew calls to prosecute Akonta Mining, Chairman Wontumi

Anti-Galamsey campaigners Martin Kpebu and Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, have re-petitioned the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for an update on investigations into the illegal mining activities of Akonta Mining Ltd and calls for the prosecution of its directors.

In a renewed petition signed by the duo and addressed to Cop Faustina Andoh Kwofie, they say the “case appears to be unnecessarily stalling” since the petition was filed over two years ago.

The petition was filed on 13th October, 2022 when it emerged that Akonta Mining had entered and undertaken illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Ashanti region contrary to legal provisions.

The petitioners called for the prosecution of the company and its directors, including the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, said to own Akonta Mining Ltd.

The petitioners say very little information has been provided by the police on the progress of work since filing the petition, “except for a meeting sometime in 2023”, while their subsequent efforts at getting further updates have not succeeded.

The petitioners who have been campaigning under the slogan of #StopGalamseyNow! have argued that the prosecution of persons involved in desecrating the reserved forest must go beyond those arrested in the mining pits to cover more importantly, the kingpins that fund and are the root cause of Galamsey.

In comments to Myjoyonline.com on Thursday morning, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey wondered why the directors of Akonta Mining who were accused of complicity in desecrating the reserved forest by the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and confirmed by the Minerals Commission, as well as implicated by reports of the Forestry Commission, not in court.

“The President (John Mahama) should also ensure that the allegations against the Aowin MP & the NDC Constituency Chairman of Evalue-Gwira-Ajomoro are independently investigated and the results made public to all Ghanaians.

“The only way we would win the fight against Galamsey is if H.E. the President deals with political and the Connected kingpins who are involved in Galamsey. The firefighters who are now arsonists should be dealt with. #StopGalamseyNow,” he said.