Ashanti Regional Chairman for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has responded to allegations of illegal mining leveled against his company, Akonta Mining Ltd.
Lawyer Martin Kpebu had petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, accusing Akonta Mining of operating in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. However, Chairman Wontumi has vehemently denied the allegations, attributing Kpebu’s actions to personal vendetta.
“Your deep-seated hatred for me won’t work. Get your facts right,” Chairman Wotnumi said.
“We don’t operate in any forest reserve, and it has never happened before. When the allegation was leveled against us, we presented ourselves and our documentations to the Special Prosecutor and the CID… If we were guilty of the allegations, we would have been prosecuted.” Chairman Wontumi stressed.
Kpebu’s petition, dated February 24, 2025, expressed frustration over the delayed investigation into Akonta Mining’s activities. The CID had received the initial petition on October 13, 2022, but Kpebu claimed that there had been little progress in the investigation.
Chairman Wontumi’s response is the latest development in the ongoing controversy surrounding Akonta Mining’s operations. The company has maintained its innocence, while Kpebu continues to push for a thorough investigation.
