The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and his company, Akonta Mining Company Limited, have pleaded not guilty to charges related to alleged illegal mining activities in the Western Region.
Appearing before Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay at the High Court in Accra on Tuesday, October 7, Wontumi, who is the first accused and owner of Akonta Mining, entered pleas for himself and on behalf of the company, which is listed as the third accused.
According to court documents, Wontumi is facing charges for assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and for facilitating unlicensed mining operations.
Both charges fall under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
Akonta Mining Company Limited, represented by Wontumi in court, also pleaded not guilty to similar charges—unauthorised assignment of mineral rights and facilitating unlicensed mining. These alleged offences are said to have taken place in 2024 at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The prosecution contends that the company and its director allowed two individuals, identified as Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi, to undertake mining operations within Akonta Mining’s concession without obtaining the required written approval from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
The case, which draws on key provisions of Ghana’s mining legislation, highlights ongoing efforts by the state to enforce compliance and address unlawful mining practices across the country.
Source : Adomonline
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