The Fourth Estate has claimed that from 2022 to 2023, ten mining companies obtained licenses to mine in the country’s forest reserves.
This contrasts with the five companies that are said to have been granted permits to mine in Ghana’s forest reserves over 24 years, from 1992 to 2016.
“For 24 years (1992 to 2016), 5 companies got permits to mine in Ghana’s forest reserves. But in just a year (2022 to 2023) 10 companies got permits to enter Ghana’s forest reserves,” a post on the X platform by The Fourth Estate read.
An investigation by The Fourth Estate has uncovered a concerning connection between Francis Owusu-Akyaw, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for the Juaben Constituency, and several mining companies allegedly involved in the destruction of Ghana’s forest reserves.
Mr Owusu-Akyaw, who was once part of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Small-Scale Mining, has been linked to multiple mining operations within protected areas.
According to the report, Mr. Owusu-Akyaw was allegedly dismissed from the committee after suggesting to Charles Bissue, the former Secretary of the committee, that they could use their positions for personal gain in small-scale mining. Mr. Bissue is said to have confirmed this to The Fourth Estate.
Further digging into the Minerals Commission’s records by The Fourth Estate revealed that Mr. Owusu-Akyaw is the contact person for at least 15 mining companies, including Sam and Gyan Limited (owned by Kumasi Mayor Sam Pyne), Unipower Mining Company Limited, Hapic Mining Limited, and FJ Minerals Limited. These companies collectively hold several leases for mining operations in forest reserves. Two other companies — Oleum Ghana Limited and Akonta Mining (owned by Bernard Antwi Bosiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi) — also have applications pending with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
The report also highlights Mr. Owusu-Akyaw’s involvement in mining through his two companies — DML Investment Limited and FJ Minerals Limited. DML Investment is described on its website as having close ties to the upper management at the Minerals Commission, which the company claims has helped it secure and operate mining concessions across Ghana.
Mr. Owusu-Akyaw is said to provide consultancy services through DML Investment, and the company was named in the controversial will of Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, alias Sir John, the late former CEO of the Forestry Commission. Sir John’s will had bequeathed part of the Achimota Forest lands to DML, raising questions about how these lands were acquired.
Further, FJ Minerals Limited, a company co-owned by Mr. Owusu-Akyaw, was incorporated on June 3, 2022, the same month that the new Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulation (LI 2462) was presented to Parliament. Notably, FJ Minerals applied for a concession in the Jimira Forest Reserves just weeks before the law came into effect and obtained a six-year mining lease, valid until 2029, the report further revealed.
“FJ Minerals also put in an application in May 2023 to mine in the Tano Suraw Forest Reserve in Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region. Interestingly, another company, Kaboa Plux, which Mr Akyaw consults for, also applied for the same concession in July 2023. Both applications are under review,” the report added.