The Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) has expressed frustration over what they perceive to be a lack of progress in the prosecution of the Akonta Mining Limited directors.
MCAG sent two petitions to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare in January 2023, to carry out swift investigations into the alleged illegal mining activities by Akonta Mining owned by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako.
MCAG in a statement said its team met with senior officials of the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) on Thursday, June 8, 2023, to discuss the progress of the investigation into Akonta Mining Limited’s mining activities in the Tano Nmira Forest Reserves.
The MCAG in the statement said it was informed that investigations were ongoing, but the group expressed disappointment that the directors of Akonta Mining Limited had not yet been prosecuted, despite the clear evidence of their alleged wrongdoing.
MCAG thus called on the CID to expedite the prosecution of the directors of the company to ensure that they are brought to justice.
“It was made known during the meeting that investigations were ongoing into the activities of Akonta Mining Limited. The delegation from the MCAG was appreciative of the work being carried out by the CID. We, however, expressed our frustration at the seeming lack of action in the prosecution of the director(s) of Akonta Mining Ltd, in the face of clear evidence (including what we added to our petition and statement to the Police) of they having breached the Minerals & Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and prayed that the needed urgency be applied for the speedy prosecution of the director(s) of Akonta Mining Ltd since there was ample evidence available for their prosecution,” the group added in a statement.
The MCAG has also called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to join in the fight against illegal mining.
“There is and can be no conceivable justification for illegal mining to continue in Ghana,” said the MCAG in a statement.
“We urge all Ghanaians to join us in the fight to save our water bodies and preserve our environment for current and future generations.”
Illegal mining is a major environmental and economic problem in Ghana. It has led to the destruction of water bodies, the displacement of people, and the loss of biodiversity.
The MCAG is a coalition of media organizations that are committed to fighting illegal mining in Ghana.
MCAG has been at the forefront of the campaign to raise awareness of the problem and to hold those responsible to account.