The accusations were made by Elikem Kotoko, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, who claimed in a Facebook post that an intelligence-led raid in the Western North Region uncovered illegal operations allegedly connected to Akonta Mining.
According to Kotoko, six Chinese, two Koreans, and 18 Ghanaians were arrested, with several excavators seized.
Reacting swiftly, Chairman Wontumi dismissed the allegations as entirely baseless.
He admitted ownership of Akonta Mining but emphasized that the company is currently not operational and has not engaged in any illegal activities.
“I have a legitimate license to mine on my site, but I have stopped mining in the area long ago due to what illegal miners did on my land,” he said in an interview on Wontumi FM
Wontumi further revealed that rather than engage in illegal mining, he has taken steps to rehabilitate the land, funding a contractor to reclaim the degraded area and plant 15,000 coconut trees.
He maintained that he has no connection with any of the individuals arrested during the raid and insisted that his company has not housed any illegal miners.
“I have no idea who the illegal miners arrested by the police are,” he stated, reaffirming his commitment to legal and environmentally responsible mining practices.