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The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako—popularly known as Chairman Wontumi—has challenged the government to prosecute him over allegations of his involvement in illegal mining, locally referred to as galamsey.
His remarks come in response to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah’s decision to revoke all mining licences held by his company, Akonta Mining Limited.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, 21st April, the Minister accused Akonta Mining of illegally selling concessions within the Aboi Forest to unauthorised miners for sums as high as GH₵300,000—or, in some cases, in exchange for gold royalties.
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However, addressing the accusations during the NPP’s ‘Thank You Tour’ in Kumasi on Tuesday, 28th April, Chairman Wontumi dismissed the claims as false.
Instead, he accused the government of turning a blind eye while known supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) engage in galamsey operations.
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In his statement, he declared:
They spoke against galamsey before coming to power, but now they want to blame everything on me. It’s not true—I am not involved in galamsey, and I never will be. The Minister lied; I have a legitimate licence.
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He continued:
They promised to end galamsey in seven days, yet members of your own party are preventing President Mahama from declaring a state of emergency. If I’m involved in galamsey, take me to court. I am not above the law.
Additionally, Chairman Wontumi criticised the government for reversing what he described as the positive initiatives implemented by the previous administration.
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In Ghana, galamsey refers to unregulated small-scale gold mining activities conducted without official permits.
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The practice has led to severe environmental degradation, with an estimated 60% of the country’s rivers—including the Oda, Offin, Prah, and Densu—now heavily polluted by mercury and cyanide.