Forestry Commission has raised worrying eyebrows by granting a permit to Koantwi Company Limited, a local sole proprietorship, to mine in a forest reserve in the Western Region,
The permit was granted in May 2022 and has already sparked serious public anger as the Akuffo Addo administration continues to destroy forest reserves and river bodies by issuing dubious mining permits to companies reported to be linked to appointees and friends of the Jubilee House.
The Koantwi saga is coming on the heels of the government rolling the red carpet into the Atewa forest reserves for Chinese companies to mine for bauxite.
It also comes a few weeks after revelations that the late former Forestry Commission boss, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John) had been mining in forest reserves and had furthered his destruction by personally apportioning parts of the Achimota Forest to himself and his family.
Koantwi’s permit to mine the Anhwiaso East forest reserve was granted on May 20, 2022, per a letter signed by the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr. John M. Allotey.
And the grant came contingent upon a mining lease granted it by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and an environmental permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
It cost Koantwi Ghc400, 000 for the forest entry permit, Whatsup News gathered.
“We have noted the payment of Forestry Entry Permit fee of four hundred thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc400, 000.00) with receipt No. RN/FCT/01326 dated 20th May 2022… Approval is hereby granted for an Entry Permit to be issued to Messrs, Koantwi Company Limited to mine within Anhwiaso East Forest Reserve (Merewa Portion) in Bibiani Forest District in the Western North Region for a period of two years with effect from the date of issuance of Entry Permit,” the letter by John Allotey said.
There are serious questions about the reasons for opening up the Anwiaso forest reserve to Koantwi.
WhatsUp News has attempted to get the questions answered, however, the various state agencies involved have not yielded any replies.
In regards to Koantwi itself, very little, but controversial information is what has been found about the local mining company.
Investigations have thrown up the fact that it is owned by one Kofi Antwi.
It is one of sixty (60) companies that have been licensed by the Minerals Commission of Ghana to purchase and export (not mine) gold. Koantwi’s permit was granted on 12 February 2020 and will expire on the 11th of February 2023, per its listed licensure on the website of the Minerals Commission.
Meanwhile, the selfsame Koantwi, has also been the subject of controversy due to another permit granted it by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, to mine in the country’s third largest forest reserve, Tonton Forest.
The 35.9 square kilometer reserve located in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality of the Western Region was supposedly opened up to the company by the Akufo-Addo government.
The Akufo Addo administration basically granted the company a permit to rummage an abandoned area for minerals, especially gold. However, in spite of the so-called fossicking permit, reports say the forest reserve is being destroyed by the company which is felling trees to make way for mining.
Interestingly, even though Kofi Antwi has claimed that his permit was signed by the late Sir John, the Omanhene of Wassa Amenfi, Tetrete Akuamoah Sekye ll, has reportedly said that he only got to know about the decision to have the reserve mined when some benevolent people told him.