The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, has been slapped with six criminal charges over the allegation of engaging in illegal mining against him and his company, Akonta Mining Limited.

Details of the charge sheet, which was filed by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, sighted by GhanaWeb, showed that Chairman Wontumi has been charged together with his company and Kwame Antwi, the director of the company.

The charge sheet showed that Wontumi and the other accused persons had been charged with three counts of assigning mineral rights without the necessary approval, as well as, three counts of facilitating an unlicensed mining operation.

“Statement of Offence: Assignment of mineral rights without approval, contrary to Section 14(1) and Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Section 3 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).

“Particulars of Offence: BERNARD ANTWI-BOASIAKO, alias WONTUMI, 49 years old, entrepreneur; that you, in the year 2024, in Samreboi in the Western Region and within the jurisdiction of this Court, being the owner and controlling director of AKONTA MINING COMPANY LIMITED, did, without first obtaining the prior written approval of the Minister, permit HENRY OKUM and MICHAEL GYEDU AYISI to undertake a mining operation within the mining concession which was granted to the said AKONTA MINING COMPANY LIMITED only,” part of the document reads.

Watch as Chairman Wontumi arrives at CID head office

The charges in relation to the second crime read as follows:

“Statement of Offence: Purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation, contrary to Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Section 3 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).

“Particulars of Offence: KWAME ANTWI, at large; that you, in the year 2024, in Samreboi in the Western Region and within the jurisdiction of this Court, being an owner and director of AKONTA MINING COMPANY LIMITED, did purposely facilitate HENRY OKUM and MICHAEL GYEDU AYISI to, without a licence granted by the Minister, undertake a mining operation within the mining concession which was granted to the said AKONTA MINING COMPANY LIMITED only.”

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service issued a statement confirming that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, honoured an invitation for questioning over allegations of illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as “galamsey.”

Galamsey: Wontumi faces arrest if he fails to report to Accra on October 6 - AG

Background

Chairman Wontumi was summoned to the CID Headquarters on Monday, May 26, 2025, to assist with an investigation into allegations of illegal mining against him.

The statement outlined the allegations against Wontumi, which include “undertaking mining operations without a licence, pollution of water bodies, and entering a forest reserve without authorisation.”

The CID further noted that “Mr Antwi-Boasiako cooperated very well with the police during the course of the investigation, after which he gave his statement to the police and was granted bail to report to the police at 3 pm on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.”

The charges filed against Chairman Wontumi come after he was questioned CID on Monday, October 6, 2025.

The Attorney-General had warned that Wontumi would be arrested if he failed to report to the CID head office on Monday in relation to the investigation into the involvement of the Regional Chairman in illegal mining (galamsey).

BAI/VPO

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