Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, says he has no sympathy for Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, following the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman’s conviction in an illegal mining case.
According to Mr Fuseini, the widespread environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has devastated communities across Ghana, making it difficult to sympathise with individuals found guilty of offences linked to the practice.
Speaking on Citi FM on Monday, he said illegal mining had severely affected the livelihoods of farmers and fishing communities by polluting rivers and streams that once served as essential sources of water for domestic and agricultural use.
“You need to see what galamsey is doing to this country. People are becoming poorer. Farmers who are not engaged in galamsey are becoming poorer because, hitherto, they used to go to their farms and fetch water from streams and rivers to drink and cook. Now, they cannot do that,” he said.
Mr Fuseini argued that Chairman Wontumi’s conviction was the result of conduct that had gone unchecked for years, alleging that the former NPP regional chairman had openly displayed gold obtained from mining activities without facing legal consequences at the time.
“I have no sympathy for Wontumi. What did he do? He displayed the gold that he won from small-scale mining or his illegal activity on TV, and nothing happened. Nothing, absolutely nothing happened in this country,” he added.
His remarks follow Monday’s judgment by the Accra High Court, which convicted Chairman Wontumi of unlawfully assigning mineral rights without the approval of the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources and facilitating illegal mining activities on the concession of Akonta Mining Limited at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The court sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment on two counts, with the sentences to run concurrently. It also fined Akonta Mining Limited 15,000 penalty units on each count.
The conviction has sparked widespread public and political debate, with supporters of Chairman Wontumi criticising the ruling while others have described it as a significant step in Ghana’s efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the country’s natural resources.
