• 26 Illegal Miners Busted on Akonta Mining Grounds
In a major anti-galamsey operation, coordinated crackdown on illegal mining, the Ghana Police Service arrested 26 individuals, including Chinese and Korean nationals, during an intelligence-led operation at multiple mining sites linked to Akonta Mining—a company widely associated with Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party.
The operation, executed on the eve of Good Friday while national attention was focused on Easter festivities in Kwahu, took place in Samreboi in the Western North Region. The 12-hour sweep, spearheaded by the Police Intelligence Directorate in collaboration with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the National Operations Directorate, and the Formed Police Unit (FPU), led to the arrest of six Chinese nationals, two Koreans, and eighteen Ghanaians suspected of engaging in unauthorised mining activities.
Authorities say eight excavators were retrieved from the site, with five more abandoned in the forest due to mobility challenges. In addition, the police seized two Toyota Hilux pick-ups, a Toyota RAV4, four motorbikes, and various mining equipment.
Among those apprehended were individuals ranging from 19 to 59 years old, highlighting the complex mix of foreign actors and local youth drawn into the illegal mining economy. The Chinese suspects include Wei Siliu, 45, Chen Shaomi, 42, Zhang Juyi, 30, and others, while the Ghanaian group includes individuals such as Michael Mintah, 36, and Ernest Obeng, 59.
Though Akonta Mining has consistently maintained that it operates within the bounds of Ghanaian law, local intelligence and civil society groups argue otherwise. According to The Hawk’s sources, the sites had been sublet to other illegal miners who were actively operating within Ghana’s protected forests and along fragile riverbanks—areas where mining is strictly prohibited under the country’s mineral and environmental laws.
Speaking after the operation, a senior officer involved in the raid said, “We have credible evidence that these activities were ongoing with complete disregard for the law. The level of destruction to the ecosystem is staggering—rivers have been rerouted, forest cover obliterated.”
Environmental watchdogs have repeatedly warned that political patronage and weak enforcement are undermining the country’s anti-galamsey (illegal mining) fight. The involvement of foreign nationals in these operations further complicates the issue, with critics questioning the role of high-level political figures and their links to these ventures.
This latest arrest may serve as a litmus test for the integrity of law enforcement in holding powerful figures accountable. While Chairman Wontumi has not been charged with any offence, the sites raided are alleged to be part of his company’s operations, and activists are calling for full transparency in the judicial process.
The suspects are currently in custody and are expected to be arraigned in the coming days. Police leadership, under Inspector-General Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has vowed to deepen surveillance and enforcement actions against illegal mining.
“This is not just about arrests—it’s about saving Ghana’s rivers, forests, and future,” a spokesperson from the Police Intelligence Directorate said.
This operation underscores a renewed commitment by security agencies to rein in illegal mining and restore Ghana’s threatened natural environment. Whether this momentum can be sustained, particularly when politically exposed individuals are involved, remains to be seen.
About The Author
