President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cleared Akonta Mining Company Limited of any wrongdoing, emphasising that the company is not engaged in any unlawful mining in Ghana.
"Let me respond briefly to the chairperson on the issue of illegal mining," President Akufo-Addo said following the 28th National and 16th Biennial Congress of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Diocesan Priests Association, which was held in Koforidua.
"I want to assure him and all of you that Akonta Mining is not engaged in any illegal mining anywhere in Ghana as we speak.
"Further, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has through the agency of the Forestry Commission with the assistance of the military made the effort to cordon off all 294 sites of forest reserves in the country and rid them of illegal mining as we speak."
President Akufo-Addo was reacting to the chairperson of the event, Ing. Ken Ashigbey, who raised worry about Akonta Mining Company Limited's alleged violation of the laws by mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western North Region.
Despite possessing a mining licence, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources barred Akonta Mining Company Limited, controlled by New Patriotic Party Ashanti Region Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, from mining in the forest reserve in October 2022.
The Special Prosecutor is looking into the matter.
President Akufo-Addo underlined his government's intention to "win the fight against galamsey no matter the cost in effort".
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