The National Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has stated that he is pained that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will no longer be able to become the NPP’s national chairman.

According to Asiedu Nketiah, his sadness over Wontumi’s 20-year prison sentence stems solely from the fact that it has effectively ended his chances of contesting for the NPP national chairmanship position, an outcome he believes would have made it easier for the NDC to win future elections.

Speaking in an interview on Ambassadors TV, a YouTube-based channel, on August 1, 2026, the NDC chairman expressed disappointment with the NPP for criticising the government over Wontumi’s imprisonment.

He said the party was disgracing itself because it would no longer have the moral authority to speak against illegal mining (galamsey) and the pollution of water bodies.

“I feel pained when the NPP wants to tarnish the party’s image and follow Wontumi in this case. I am most worried. This is not the party I know. They are disgracing the party. What really pained me in Wontumi’s case is that now that he is jailed, he cannot become the national chairman.

“That is my only pain. So, I pray that Abronye should also win so that the election becomes easy for us,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Criminal Court 4 of the High Court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found Chairman Wontumi guilty on charges brought against him under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 995).

The court sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment, with all custodial terms to run concurrently. In addition, he was fined 10,000 penalty units on each of the six counts.

Akonta Mining Limited, which was also convicted on two counts, was fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.

According to the prosecution, Chairman Wontumi unlawfully assigned mineral rights on Akonta Mining’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region without the approval of the sector minister. He was also accused of facilitating unauthorized mining activities on the concession.



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