Ghana’s Opposition Leader Sentenced to 20 Years for Illegal Mining

Sun Sep 06 2026 06:28:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A top Ghanaian opposition figure receives a 20‑year jail term and a hefty fine for illegal mining, sparking a backlash that labels the ruling as politically motivated.

Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as “Chairman Wontumi”, the Ashanti region chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), was handed a 20‑year prison sentence and a fine of over $10,000 after being found guilty of assigning mineral rights without approval and facilitating unlicensed mining. The NPP angrily calls the ruling a political witch‑hunt, arguing that evidence was ignored. Environmental groups welcomed the verdict as a step toward cracking down on Ghana’s rampant illegal mining, or “galamsey”, which has polluted rivers and destroyed forests. The case marks the first conviction of a senior politician since the 2017 crackdown, raising questions about the balance between law enforcement and political dynamics in Ghana’s gold‑rich economy.

Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti region chairman of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been sentenced to 20 years in jail with hard labour and fined more than $10,000 after a court found him guilty of illegally assigning mineral rights and facilitating unlicensed mining. He was known publicly as “Chairman Wontumi” and the first senior politician arrested in the country’s crackdown on illegal gold mining that began in 2017.

NPP officials immediately protested, claiming the judgment was politically motivated and that no credible evidence existed to convict Boasiako. General secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said the judge ignored “clear evidence” that could have exonerated the politician, and that the fight against illegal mining should not be used to target rival politicians.

Prosecutors charged Boasiako with allowing two individuals, Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi, to operate mining claims under his company Akonta Mining without approval from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. The conviction reflects the broader controversy around Ghana’s gold production, a sector that has seen significant environmental damage from unregulated mining, known locally as “galamsey”, which has polluted watercourses and devastated forests.

Environmental campaigners welcomed the ruling, arguing that holding senior politicians and businessmen accountable would deter future illegal mining. “It sends a strong signal that accountability is indispensable if Ghana is to protect its forests, rivers and other natural resources,” said Adib Saani, executive director of the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building.

Despite the condemnation, the NPP has said its lawyers are preparing an appeal against the conviction. The case highlights the tension between enforcement of environmental law and the politicisation of anti‑illegal‑mining campaigns in Ghana’s democratic framework.