A joint operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission has resulted in the arrest of 24 individuals, including Chinese and Korean nationals, for alleged involvement in illegal mining activities linked to Akonta Mining, a company associated with Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The operation, which took place on Thursday, April 17, targeted six mining sites in the Western North Region town of Samreboi.
According to Elikem Kotoko, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, the operation began at dawn and lasted for 12 hours.
The arrested individuals include six Chinese, two Koreans, and 18 Ghanaians.
Authorities also impounded eight excavators, although five were left behind due to mobility challenges.
Additional seizures included two Toyota Hilux pick-ups, a Toyota RAV4, four motorbikes, and several pieces of mining equipment.
The operation is part of a wider effort to clamp down on illegal mining activities, locally referred to as galamsey, which has been causing widespread destruction of Ghana’s rivers and forest reserves.
Kotoko praised the efforts of Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and the Inspector-General of Police, saying that the exercise “has no end in sight as we intend not to give up at all.”
Akonta Mining has been at the center of previous controversies, with critics accusing the firm of operating in protected forest zones.
The company has consistently denied these claims. The latest operation adds to growing pressure on authorities to take decisive action against illegal mining.
The arrested individuals were immediately sent to Accra for onward action.
The Forestry Commission and the Ghana Police Service have reiterated their commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources and preserving the environment.
The operation is seen as a significant step in the fight against galamsey, which has been a major concern for environmentalists and the government.
–BY Daniel Bampoe
