The arrest of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been described as the culmination of long-standing civil calls for accountability after years of institutional silence.
South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor, has attributed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regional chairman’s arrest to relentless pressure from civil society, not political opponents. Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, the lawmaker asserted that justice, though delayed, has finally arrived.
“This is not an NDC fight. It’s civil society, private citizens—not party people—who called for this in 2022,” Dafeamekpor noted. “The call for his prosecution was ignored, but crime has no expiry date. If the state failed to act yesterday, it is under obligation to act today.”
Wontumi was arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on May 27 after voluntarily turning himself in at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). He is under investigation for allegedly causing financial loss to the state, in connection with illegal mining operations reportedly linked to Akonta Mining—an entity widely associated with him.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP has been granted a GHC50 million bail with two justified sureties. However, he remains in custody, as legal hurdles have reportedly delayed his release.
Dafeamekpor criticised the state’s initial indifference to earlier petitions, particularly those dating back to October 2022, when public interest in the Akonta Mining allegations intensified. Despite sustained demands for investigation and accountability, the state remained quiet.
“In January 2023, a fresh petition was filed, and still no action was taken,” he recounted. “What killed it entirely was when then-President Nana Akufo-Addo publicly defended Akonta Mining, insisting the company was not engaged in illegal mining. That statement alone ended any real possibility of legal action at the time.”
He emphasised that the current development should not be interpreted as politically driven but rather as a delayed response to a legitimate public outcry.
“The arrest is not a political witch-hunt. It is a warning that was long in coming. This is civil society demanding action—and finally, something has happened,” Dafeamekpor added.
The arrest has, however, sparked significant political tension. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin described the bail terms as excessive and led a parliamentary boycott on May 29, demanding Wontumi’s immediate release.
Other high-ranking figures in the NPP, including former Vice President and party flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Abetifi MP Bryan Acheampong, have also intervened in attempts to secure Wontumi’s release.
Despite claims by Wontumi’s lawyers that they have met the bail conditions, he continues to remain in EOCO custody. Reports suggest that a fresh legal application—believed to be linked to efforts to vary the bail terms—is now at the centre of the delay.
For Dafeamekpor, the issue transcends political interests. His view is that Wontumi’s arrest signals a renewed sense of urgency to uphold the law and hold even the most powerful accountable.
“Justice may delay, but it never dies. What we are seeing is a lesson to all: eventually, the system catches up,” he noted.
