Dr Kofi Amoah Demands Prosecution Of Chairman Wontumi Over Illegal Mining In Nimiri Forest

/ Business mogul Citizen Kofi urges government to seize assets and punish NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman as authorities crack down on Akonta Mining’s illicit activities.

• Dr Kofi Amoah calls for the arrest and prosecution of Chairman Wontumi over illegal mining.

• Government orders Minerals Commission to revoke Akonta Mining's lease.

• Police-Forestry joint raid results in 51 arrests and seizure of weapons, vehicles, and equipment.

Dr. Kofi Amoah calls for the arrest and prosecution of Chairman Wontumi for alleged
galamsey activities.

Prominent Ghanaian entrepreneur and philanthropist, Dr Kofi Amoah, widely known as Citizen Kofi, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly referred to as Chairman Wontumi, over his alleged involvement in illegal mining activities that have caused significant destruction to Ghana’s forest reserves.

In a bold social media statement issued on April 21, 2025, Dr Amoah accused Chairman Wontumi—who also serves as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)—of abusing political power for personal gain.

“He should be arrested and prosecuted, and if found guilty, his ill-gotten gains (gold bars, cash, bank accounts, etc.) from the destructive mining operations must be seized,” Dr Amoah wrote.
“Such irresponsible and arrogant activities from unpatriotic political 'elite' must be punished and exorcised.”

His comments follow a directive by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, instructing the Minerals Commission to revoke the mining lease of Akonta Mining Ltd, a company reportedly owned by Chairman Wontumi.

At a press conference held on April 21, Minister Buah detailed shocking findings from a joint operation between the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission. The operation, carried out on the eve of Good Friday (April 17), uncovered six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining in the Nimiri Forest of the Ashanti Region.

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“Interviews with residents suggest that Akonta Mining uses force to destroy farmlands and crops of poor farmers,” said the Minister.

The intelligence-led raid on Compartment 49 began at 5:00 AM and lasted 12 hours. Authorities made the following seizures and arrests:

• 51 suspects apprehended: 8 Chinese nationals, 39 Ghanaian men, and 4 Ghanaian women

• 30 excavators seized, with 5 impounded at the operation base

• 3 firearms retrieved: 2 pump-action shotguns and a single-barrel gun

• Vehicles confiscated: 2 Toyota Hilux pickups, 1 Toyota RAV4, and 4 motorbikes

• A large cache of illegal mining equipment

All suspects have been transported to Accra, where they remain in police custody pending further investigations and legal proceedings.

The controversy around Chairman Wontumi has ignited public outrage and renewed calls for accountability in Ghana’s mining sector, especially concerning galamsey (illegal mining) and its environmental impact.

He should be arrested and prosecuted and if found guilty, his ill gotten gains ( gold bars, cash, bank accounts etc) from the destructive mining operations must be ceased…

Such irresponsible and arrogant activities from unpatriotic political “elite” must be punished and… https://t.co/7RAfCt1D4f

— CitizenKofi (@amoah_citizen) April 21, 2025