Akonta Mining Company Limited has instituted legal proceedings against the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, and the Minerals Commission, contesting the recent revocation of its mining lease.
The company’s lawsuit follows the government’s decision to cancel its license due to alleged involvement in illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, within protected forest reserves.
During a press briefing in Accra, Minister Armah-Kofi Buah disclosed findings from recent undercover investigations, revealing that Akonta Mining had encroached on the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region without the necessary permits.
“Although Akonta Mining holds a license to operate off-reserve, the company had encroached on the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region,” the Minister stated.
He further alleged that the company had commercialized access to these forest reserves, selling concessions to illegal miners for as much as GHS 300,000. Some miners reportedly paid up to 250 grams of gold weekly in royalties to Akonta Mining.
In response to these claims, Akonta Mining filed a suit seeking GHS 20 million in damages and a retraction of what it describes as defamatory statements.
According to the statement of claim, the company is demanding Special/aggravated damages for libel published by the Defendant herein and republished by local and international media in the sum of Ghc20,000,000 (Twenty Million Ghana Cedis).
The company is also seeking an order compelling the Minister to retract the defamatory statements published against it and issue an unqualified public apology with equal prominence across various media platforms.
Additionally, Akonta Mining is requesting an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Minister from making further defamatory statements, full reimbursement of legal costs and lawyer’s fees, and any other relief the court may deem appropriate.
The case is poised to test the delicate balance between government enforcement against illegal mining and the legal rights of affected companies.
