Wontumi’s Akonta Mining sued over illegal mining

Climate Change & Energy

Wontumi’s Akonta Mining sued over illegal mining

Source: Ghenvironment.com - March 29, 2023

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Some opinion leaders at Anakum in the Western Region together with some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have sued the Akonta Mining Company Limited at the Tarkwa High Court over illegal mining activities in the Semire area. The Anakum stool land shares boundaries with Akyekyre, Samreboi Amuni and Asankragwa. The Plaintiffs are Abusuapanin Yaw Tikwa and Aberewatia Abena Anaah both of the Palace of Anakum, Eco-Conscious Citizens, and A Rocha Ghana. The respondents are the Minerals Commission and the Akonta Mining Company Limited belonging to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling NPP.

Chairman Wontumi, owner of Akonta Mining

According to the plaintiffs, the activities of Akonta Mining in the Semire environment have caused extensive damage to farms, water bodies, and forests to the extent of having a direct adverse effect on the livelihood and survival of the people. The respondents noted that, they have in collaboration with several public-spirited persons protested to halt the illegal activities in concession within the Semire area but they have been rebuffed repeatedly by the two respondents. The court summons avers that, the havoc that the activities of Akonta Mining have caused to lives, lands, and properties is immense and can only be calculated by an order of the court against the respondents to do so and pay for same. Per the court documents, the case will be called on Thursday April 6, 2023.

Yaw

Good gesture

March 29, 2023

Citizen not Spectator

This is in the right direction. We stand with the plaintiffs. May justice prevail.

March 29, 2023

Sam Allotey

It takes just moments of recklessness to destroy what nature has painstakingly preserved. I believe the suit is a step in the right direction and justice would be served to save our “little space” on the planet called Ghana. I hope other traditional leaders follow the initiative in their respective areas.

March 29, 2023

Samira

Good news indeed and thank goodness some are willing to take a stand. Hopefully, others will follow, as the senseless destruction in Ghana is out of hand.

March 29, 2023

Sister Nana

‘Polluter pays’ is a principle which emerged after the 1992 Earth Summit. Those who produce pollution should bear the costs of putting matters right to prevent damage to human health and the environment. For instance, a factory that produces a potentially poisonous substance as a by-product of its activities is should be held responsible for its safe disposal. The polluter pays principle is part of a set of broader principles to guide sustainable development worldwide, formally known as the 1992 Rio Declaration. Ghana attended the first World Conference on the Environment in Stockholm in 1972. 20 years later, the Rio Summit agreed the principle which underpins most of the regulation of pollution affecting land, water and air. Pollution is contamination of land, water or air by harmful or potentially harmful substances. Mining pollutes and those running companies which pollute should be made to clean up the damage caused by their activities. Well done to those suing Akonta Mining & acting on our behalf. We deserve a clean environment, unpolluted water & soil. We need to continue pressuring polluters until they restore the environment

March 29, 2023

Elizabeth

This is great. Time to hold this man and his company accountable. Nobody should be above the law.

March 29, 2023

VR5

Thank goodness we have some citizens standing up for our dear nation! Must our authorities continue to stand aside for this brazen rape of our land? Our rich forests are stripped to the bare earth and their treasures are forcibly extracted night and day till there is nothing left. Then and only then is the depleted land left to die. Nothing can grow in the chemical infested substrate, waters are too polluted for fish to survive and the walking illegalities proudly broadcast their spoils and triumphs on the World Wide Web.

March 29, 2023

Caroline

It's about time, people take responsibility for their actions. This is a step in the right direction.

March 30, 2023

Adwoa Sey

Am so glad. Justice should be served.

March 30, 2023

Nii Maama

People must be held accountable. One cannot destroy the environment because of personal gains

March 30, 2023

Eunice

It is sad that a leader at that ignores what he knows to be wrong and intentionally does it. The first step to curbing this galamsey is fighting our personal greed. I hope the stakeholders responsible for bringing the perpetrator to book will be wise, objective and fair. This is indeed a course in the right direction.

March 30, 2023

Adwowa

This is very encouraging and to know that no one is above the law. This will definitely reassure well meaning Ghanaians-not to be spectators.

March 31, 2023

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