The Media Coalition Against Galamsey has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare reminding him of Police inaction in the alleged illegal mining case involving Akonta Mining Limited.
The coalition had in an earlier petition, called on the Police to arrest, investigate and prosecute the Akonta Mining Ltd and its Directors, Bernard Antwi Bosiako who is also the Ashanti regional chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Kwame Antwi, for illegally mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve as well as breaching (Section 99(6) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by mining very close along the banks of Tano River.
Following the petition, the coalition said it received feedback for a meeting scheduled with the IGP for the 22nd of November 2022, through Mr Senyo Hosi a Steering Committee member of the Coalition, who had delivered the letter to the IGP’s office.
This meeting was, however, postponed at the instance of the IGP and ever since “we have been waiting for an appointment to meet with you,” a statement signed by the convener of the coalition, Ing Dr Kenneth Ashigbey stated.
In the interim, the statement said the Attorney General responded to a similar petition sent to him on the same subject matter, in which he stated that he is not capable of acting in any suspected criminal matter until the Police investigate and send results to him.
The Attorney General is quoted by the coalition to have stated inter alia that “The Attorney General does not have the mandate to initiate investigations on its own volition. It is rather the Ghana Police and other relevant institutions clothed with investigative powers who investigate cases and forward the results of their investigation to the Office of the Attorney General for advice or prosecution where necessary.”
The coalition said it is currently unaware of any actions taken to investigate, arrest and prosecute the directors and officers of Akonta Mining Ltd despite the incontrovertible evidence that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, his Ministry and the Minerals Commission have in their possession, which shows that the said company has in fact undertaken the alleged illegal mining operations.
“We are still convinced that that 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 statement said.
The coalition noted that its conviction has been supported by several others stakeholders including the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference who have also called for the prosecution of the same company for the same offenses.
The coalition has, therefore, reminded the IGP of its request for a new date to meet and ask for some action to be taken on its petition.
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