The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and his company, Akonta Mining Company Limited, have pleaded not guilty to charges related to alleged illegal mining operations in the Western Region.
Wontumi, who appeared before Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay at the High Court in Accra on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, entered pleas for both himself and the company, which is listed as the third accused in the case.
According to court filings, Wontumi faces charges for assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and facilitating unlicensed mining activities—both offences under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
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Similarly, Akonta Mining Company Limited, represented in court by Wontumi, also pleaded not guilty to charges of unauthorised assignment of mineral rights and facilitating illegal mining. The alleged offences reportedly occurred in 2024 at Samreboi, located in the Western Region.
The prosecution alleges that the company and its director unlawfully permitted two individuals—Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi—to carry out mining operations within Akonta Mining’s concession area without obtaining the required written authorization from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
The case underscores the government’s renewed commitment to enforcing Ghana’s mining laws and clamping down on illegal mining practices that continue to threaten the nation’s environment and mineral resources.
Stroy By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem