The Media Coalition against Galamsey has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to prosecute the directors of Akonta mining company.
According to the coalition, the call to prosecute the mining company was on the back of media reports which claimed that the mining company was operating in the Tano Nimiri forest reserve without a lease or license.
The petition, issued yesterday, was signed by Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, Mr Jerry Sam, Mr Cecil Sunkwa-Mills, Mrs Gloria Hiadzi, Mr Carol Annang and Mr Senyo Hosi.
Such an act, the coalition noted in the petition, was contrary to the Section 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
The Act provides that an individual who operates without a license by the Minister commits an offence, and was liable on a summary conviction to fine of not less than ten thousand penalty unit and not more than fifteen thousand penalty units and to a term imprisonment of not less than fifteen years and not more than twenty-five years.
It added that the source of the media report was based on a press release issued by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources last month, where the Minister had directed the Forestry Commission to halt the operations of the mining company as it was operating without an appropriate license.
The coalition also made reference to a press release issued by the Minerals Commission earlier this month, which confirmed the fact that the mining company was engaged in an illegality.
The coalition indicated in the petition that it had conducted a search at the Registrar General’s Department about the mining company.
The search results confirmed that the company was incorporated on November 5, 2020, with a registered address at house mumber B52, near Angloga, Tarkwa, P.O. BOX M1, Kuntanse.
It also confirmed Mr Messrs Bernard Bosiako as the current director of the mining company, and Mr Bernard Antwi-Boasiako as the old director, with Mr Eddie Nikoi as the auditor.
The coalition also called on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and Minerals Commission to initiate prosecution against the directors and officers of the company since it was believed they had sufficient evidence.
“We believe that the Minister, his Ministry and the Minerals Commission have in their possession incontrovertible evidence that shows that the said company has in fact undertaken the alleged illegal mining operation.
We are convinced that the evidence is sufficient to establish that the company has a case to answer, and that you have sufficient basis to initiate prosecution against the company’s directors and officers”, the petition indicated.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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