Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has criticised the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the for the seeming lack of progress in investigating mining activities by Akonta Mining, owned by the Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Wontumi.
In a letter addressed to the CID boss, COP Faustina Andoh Kwofie, dated February 24, 2025, Kpebu expressed concern that the CID has yet to provide updates on the progress of the investigations, as requested in their petition.
He further stated that attempts to reach the CID boss for subsequent updates on the case have been unsuccessful, describing the situation as an unwarranted delay in addressing the matter. "RE: PETITION FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF AKONTA MINING AND CHAIRMAN WONTUMI (MR BENARD ANTWI BOSIAKO) & OTHERS FOR UNDERTAKING ILLEGAL MINING IN THE TANO NIMIRI FOREST RESERVE CONTRARY TO THE MINERALS AND MINING ACT, 2006 (ACT 703) AS AMENDED BY THE MINERALS AND MINING (AMENDMENT ACT) ACT, 2019 (ACT 995). "We are two (2) of four (4) complainants who petitioned your good self on 13th October 2022 on the above matter.
Since filing the petition, we have not received much update on the progress of investigations, etc., except for a meeting sometime in 2023.
