As a responsible mining company that values the protection of the environment, Akonta Mining reported the illegal activities of galamseyers to the police and has backed the claims with evidence.
Following the directive from the Lands Ministry to Akonta Mining Limited to halt operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest, it is now becoming clearer that the blame cannot be pinned on the mining firm but rather, on illegal miners who waded into the forest and degraded it.
In a statement issued on September 30, the Ministry said even though Akonta Mining Limited has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the Forest Reserve, “the company has no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve”.
But evidence available to Wontumionline.com, shows the operations that has taken place in the forest were as a result of illegal miners and not Akonta Mining Limited.
There are also reports with the police that show Akonta Mining Limited reported the activities of the illegal miners to authorities and used appropriate force to drive them out of the area to ensure the right is done.
Within the same period the issue occurred, Akonta Mining Limited never mined in the area.
There are corresponding letters from solicitors of Akonta Mining Company to also prove there were series of communication between the mining firm and Samartex for mutual co-existence until the latter deliberately broke it down.
In a letter dated 7th September, 2021, lawyers for Akonta Mining Limited wrote to lawyers for Samartex indicating to them that Akonta Mining Limited has acquired a mineral easement which entitles it to enter upon the subject area to carry out its business within the confines of the laws of the Republic.
A portion of the letter read “From the instructions, our Client has not done any excavation work near the airstrip save that it had wanted to establish a temporal processing plant on that portion as alleged, when your client raised a concern based on proximity which out Client obliged.”
“We hold a respectful opinion that since the parties to this matter hold different rights to the land, that is mineral and timber, it would be in the interest of the parties to sit down for amicable resolution for their respective mutual benefits than the threats being issued since both rights are recognized under the law.”