The ongoing fight against illegal mining in Ghana has taken a dramatic legal turn as Chairman Wontumi, through his company Akonta Mining, has filed a lawsuit against the government of Ghana.
This legal move follows allegations made by the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, who recently revealed damning findings related to Akonta Mining’s operations.
During a national conference on April 29, 2025, the minister announced that his office was finalizing steps to revoke the mining license held by Akonta Mining.
Although the company holds a permit for mining activities outside protected forest areas, the government claimed that the company had wrongfully extended its operations into the Aboi Tano Namiri Forest Reserve in the Western Region.
The minister further accused the company of running an underground scheme by which access to the protected forest land was allegedly sold to illegal miners at hefty prices, reportedly GHC 300,000 per concession.
Additionally, it was alleged that Akonta Mining was collecting gold from these miners on a weekly basis, treating the illegal operations as a source of royalties.
In a swift reaction, Akonta Mining denied all allegations and has now initiated legal proceedings against the minister, the Minerals Commission, and the Ghanaian government.
The mining firm is demanding GHC 20 million in special damages, citing reputational harm and defamation.
As part of the reliefs being sought, Akonta Mining wants the court to issue an order compelling the minister to retract his statements and publicly apologize.
The company is also pushing for a perpetual injunction to bar the minister and the state from making any further remarks it deems defamatory. Legal costs and any additional reliefs deemed appropriate by the court are also included in the suit.
This legal action marks a bold escalation in the tug-of-war between state authorities and powerful business interests in the country’s complex battle against illegal mining.
Source: NewsandVibes.com
