National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has said the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, deserved the 20-year prison sentence handed to him by an Accra High Court over illegal mining activities.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on August 4, 2026, Asiedu Nketiah argued that there had long been sufficient evidence to prosecute and convict Wontumi during the previous administration.

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According to him, a previous civil case had already established that Wontumi had engaged in illegal mining by allegedly using a prospecting licence to undertake full-scale mining operations.

He explained that although the court in the civil matter could not impose a criminal conviction, the judgment provided enough basis for the then-government to initiate criminal proceedings against Wontumi.

“The civil case ended with the conclusion that Wontumi was engaged in illegal mining. He was misusing a prospecting licence to do full-scale mining, and the vandalisation that took place was justified because it was the government trying to clamp down on illegal mining,” he said.

Asiedu Nketiah further indicated that because it was a civil suit filed by Wontumi, the court was unable to impose criminal sanctions but maintained that the government at the time should have followed up with an arrest and prosecution.

He criticised the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration for failing to act despite what he described as clear evidence, claiming that instead, President Akufo-Addo publicly defended Wontumi against allegations of illegal mining.

“So, after the judgment, the government at that time could have proceeded to arrest and prosecute Wontumi. But what we saw was the sitting President declaring publicly that Wontumi was not engaged in illegal mining,” he stated.

He noted that the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources had also publicly commented on the matter, insisting that the evidence against Wontumi had been available while the NPP was in government.

“So it was the government sleeping over something that could have been done. He could have been convicted during Nana Addo’s time and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources also said it.

“You see, so all this evidence was unearthed during the time NPP was in power,” he stated.

Asiedu Nketiah also questioned Wontumi’s explanation that individuals found mining on his concession had been deployed to carry out land reclamation, suggesting that evidence presented in court contradicted that claim.

Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after being convicted on six illegal mining-related charges.

The court also fined him 10,000 penalty units, with a three-year default prison term to run concurrently.

JKB/MA

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