The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has detained Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, who is the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). This comes after he visited the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to be questioned more about claims of illicit mining, including unpermitted operations in protected forest regions.

On Monday, May 26, Wontumi first appeared at the CID in accordance with the conditions of his bail. He was told to come back the next day, and he did. But on Tuesday, EOCO agents caught him just as he left the CID grounds. The specific charges and motives for this arrest remain unknown as EOCO has not yet provided a public explanation.

Ghanaians have been responding to the news in droves, particularly on social media. Regardless of political status, some residents have praised the arrest as a step toward equal application of the law. Given Wontumi's importance in the NPP and his outspoken political presence in the Ashanti Region, some people are still dubious and believe the arrest may have been made for political reasons.

His arrest has sparked a lot of public discussion, with many people calling for EOCO to be more transparent. NPP supporters have demanded composure and asked authorities to clarify the situation as it is developing.

The matter continues to garner national attention as Ghana awaits EOCO's formal pronouncement, underscoring the conflict in the nation's governance environment between political clout and legal responsibility. We anticipate more developments in the near future.