Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah
Akonta Mining Company Limited has filed a defamation lawsuit at the High Court in Accra against the Minerals Commission and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, . Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
The writ, dated April 29, 2025, was issued by the court and served on the defendants, with the company seeking GHC 20 million in aggravated damages.
The plaintiff alleges that defamatory statements made by the defendants have damaged its reputation and were further republished by international and local media outlets, amplifying the harm caused.
As a result, Akonta Mining is demanding general damages for defamation, special damages for libel, and an order compelling the defendants to retract the alleged defamatory statements.
The mining firm is also requesting a public apology with equal prominence across traditional and digital media platforms, including television, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Furthermore, Akonta Mining is seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants from making or publishing any similar statements in the future.
The suit, filed by lawyer Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi of Appiah-Kubi & Associates, outlines that the defamatory statements have had far-reaching implications for the company’s image, and that the legal action is necessary to restore its reputation and deter future misconduct.
The defendants have eight days from the date of service to enter an appearance or risk judgment being entered in their absence.
Background
The Government of Ghana last Month revoked the mining lease granted to Akonta Mining Limited, following mounting pressure over the company’s operations in forest reserve areas.
Armed with this intel, on the eve of Good Friday (17th April 2025) an intelligence-led operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission led to the raid of six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining.
At a press briefing held on Monday, April 21, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, announced the revocation, citing legal and procedural inconsistencies in the award of the lease.
“The operation in Compartment 49, which began at 5 a.m. and lasted a whopping 12 hours, resulted in:, 51 arrests (8 Chinese, 39 Ghanaian men, 4 Ghanaian women), Seizure of about 30 excavators, 5 recovered and impounded at the operation base 2 Pump-action guns loaded with 5 and 2 rounds of BB cartridges each, 1 single-barrel gun retrieved and Confiscation of 2 Toyota Hilux pickups, 1 Toyota RAV4, 4 motorbikes, and a cache of mining equipment.“
“All suspects have been transported to Accra, in custody pending prosecution.In light of the overwhelming evidence, I have authorized the Minerals Commission to take steps to revoke the lease of Akonta Mining Co. Ltd with immediate effect“
“Following a detailed review, we have determined that the lease held by Akonta Mining for operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve was improperly granted. As such, it has been revoked with immediate effect,” the Minister said.
Akonta Mining had been at the centre of a national debate over mining in protected forest zones, with environmental groups and civil society repeatedly calling for its lease to be annulled. The revocation is seen as a response to sustained public concern and a bid to restore trust in the government’s natural resource governance.
Several environmental advocacy groups have welcomed the decision but are pushing for further accountability, including rehabilitation of damaged forest areas and investigations into how the lease was approved in the first place.
“This is an important step, but we expect more — not just a revocation, but consequences for any wrongdoing,” said a spokesperson from a leading conservation NGO.
AFSIEN Niger est l’une des associations fares qui se batte pour le bien être des femmes et des enfants travaillant dans les industries extractives.
Elle accompagne et sensibilise les femmes pour un meilleur profit de leurs activités sur les sites miniers et pétroliers. C’est pour quoi j’ai intégré l’association en temps que membre du bureau national.