Shock and anger after top Ghanaian politician sentenced to 20 years for illegal mining

What the report says

BBC Africa reports that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a senior figure in Ghana’s opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour after being convicted of illegal mining-related offences. Boasiako, widely known as “Chairman Wontumi,” is the NPP chairman for the Ashanti region and was also fined more than $10,000. The sentence was handed down in a court in Accra on Monday, according to the BBC report published on 21 July 2026.

The BBC says Boasiako denied the charges but was found guilty of assigning mineral rights without the required approval and helping an unlicensed mining operation through his company, Akonta Mining. Prosecutors said two people, Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi, were allowed to mine on the company’s concession without authorization from the lands and natural resources minister.

The NPP reacted angrily, with general secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong alleging the case was politically motivated and saying party lawyers had begun steps to challenge the conviction. He argued that the anti-illegal mining campaign should not be seen as credible if it is used against political opponents without sufficient evidence. The BBC also reported that Boasiako appeared shocked when the sentence was delivered.

The case is significant because Boasiako is described as the first senior Ghanaian politician convicted of illegal mining since a government crackdown began in 2017. Illegal mining, locally called “galamsey,” has been blamed for severe damage to rivers, forests and other natural resources in Africa’s top gold-producing country. Environmental campaigners welcomed the ruling as a warning to powerful figures who fund or enable such activity.