Photo: Victoria Awani, Esq., Minerals Commission Deputy CEO Commission
The Minerals Commission has categorically refuted claims by Akonta Mining Limited that it possesses a valid mining lease outside the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, asserting that the company has no legal basis to undertake any mining activity within or outside the protected forest area.
In a detailed statement released on Tuesday and signed by the Commission’s Deputy Chief Executive, Victoria Awuni, Esq., the regulatory body clarified the status of Akonta’s mining rights following renewed scrutiny over the company’s operations, which were the subject of a ministerial briefing earlier this week.
According to the Commission, Akonta Mining was first granted a reconnaissance licence on 15 June 2011, covering an area of 135.87 square kilometres in Samreboi. This licence, which was explicitly outside the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, expired on 14 June 2012. A subsequent prospecting licence for the same area, issued on 31 December 2012, expired on 30 December 2014.
The Commission noted that under Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), a single mining lease cannot exceed 63 square kilometres. Based on this, Akonta Mining applied for—and was granted—three separate mining leases on 23 July 2021, each for a 10-year period. However, none of these leases fall within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, and more importantly, none have been ratified by Parliament, a constitutional requirement under Article 268(1).
The statement further disclosed that Akonta Mining lacks all essential permits for lawful operation. The company has not obtained an Environmental Permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an Operating Permit from the Chief Inspector of Mines, or a Forest Entry Permit from the Forestry Commission—all mandatory for mining activities under Ghanaian law.
Additionally, Akonta Mining had at one point applied for a prospecting licence within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve but later withdrew it. A new application for a mining lease, submitted on 25 August 2022, to operate within the same reserve was never approved or signed by the then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
“In plain terms,” the statement read, “Akonta Mining Limited has no legal lease, environmental permit, operating permit, or forest entry permit authorising it to mine or undertake any exploration within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve—or anywhere else under valid legal authority.”
The Commission also reaffirmed a public statement issued by the Ministry on 30 September 2022, which confirmed that Akonta held no mineral rights within the forest reserve.
This clarification comes after a recent investigation and operation by security agencies revealed the presence of Akonta agents actively working within the coordinates of the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, despite the company having no approved lease for the location.
The Commission reiterated that without a ratified mining lease and the requisite permits, any operation by Akonta Mining Limited constitutes illegal mining and is punishable under Ghana’s mining laws.
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