The Forestry Commission has indicated that it will investigate and sanction any staff aiding and abetting illegal miners in the country.

This follows a claim by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, that some staff of the commission collude with illegal miners to destroy the environment.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Elikem Kotoku, said some investigations will be conducted in that regard to bring the culprit to book.

“Those officers who are complicit in any involvement in any illegal mining will be thoroughly investigated, and any other punitive action that has to be taken against them will be done so that things are done properly. As a commission, we only have to continue to work and abide by the ethics that are established by the institution, and anyone who acts contrary will have to be dealt with,” he stated.

The Lands Minister on Monday, April 21, ordered the revocation of the mining lease of Akonta Mining Company Ltd. following revelations of the company’s deep involvement in illegal mining activities—commonly known as galamsey—within protected forest reserves.

In a presser, he outlined findings from recent undercover investigations, which uncovered that Akonta Mining was operating unlawfully in forest reserves despite lacking the necessary permits.

According to the Minister, although Akonta Mining holds a license to operate off-reserve, the company had encroached on the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region.

The investigations further revealed that Akonta Mining had been selling access to these reserves to illegal miners for as much as GHS 300,000 per concession. In return, some of these miners allegedly paid weekly royalties in gold, up to 250 grams, to the company.