Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Guan Constituency, has made a firm call for justice to be allowed to take its course in the case involving Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
In a direct and unapologetic address, the MP criticized what he described as the politicization of crime in Ghana, warning that such practices undermine the rule of law and embolden impunity.
“We were in this country, under the NPP government, when their sector minister accused Wontumi of mining in a forest reserve. Have they forgotten?”
Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Guan MP
Referring to past allegations against Chairman Wontumi, particularly concerning his involvement in illegal mining in protected forest reserves, Hon. Agbenyo cautioned against using political privilege to circumvent justice.
He expressed strong disapproval of attempts to shield individuals affiliated with political power from legal scrutiny. The MP recalled that the controversy surrounding Chairman Wontumi and his mining company, Akonta Mining, did not begin under the current administration.
He reminded the public that during the tenure of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, publicly accused Wontumi of operating in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve without the requisite documentation.
According to the MP, it was not only the sector minister who raised concerns. The Minerals Commission and the Forestry Commission also stated at the time that Chairman Wontumi lacked the proper permits for his operations. These claims, Hon. Agbenyo emphasized, were public and widely reported.
Questionable Exoneration
Hon. Agbenyo questioned the legitimacy of subsequent efforts to exonerate Wontumi, suggesting that the clearing of his name by the then President, Nana Akufo-Addo, lacked transparency.
He challenged defenders of Wontumi within the NPP to reconcile their current claims with earlier official statements.
“Are they saying that their Minister at the time didn’t know what he was saying when he made those statements? Are they saying that the Minerals Commission lied that they didn’t issue him any permit to enter into the forest?
“Or are they saying that the Forest Commission lied at the time that he entered there illegally?”
Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Guan MP
The MP further pointed out that Ghanaians were not relying solely on statements from officials. “Have we not seen videos and pictures of Wontumi’s company in these forests? We have all seen those videos,” he noted, asserting that the evidence was in the public domain.
Hon. Agbenyo emphasized the need to separate political loyalty from legal accountability. He condemned the culture of political protectionism, which he argued has become a barrier to justice and institutional credibility in Ghana.
“You see, let us stop politicizing crime in this country. Let’s stop. When an individual has done something wrong and is supposed to face the law, let’s just allow them to face the law. Nobody is going to kill him. Nobody is going to infringe on his right”
Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Guan MP
He accused politicians of taking undue advantage of the country when their party was in power, believing they are above the law, untouchable and beyond reproach. They tend to believe that “some way, somehow, the system will protect them.”
“What they don’t remind themselves of is that no condition is permanent and that their party will not live in power forever. A day will come when they will be called to account for their stewardship and for all the things that they did”
Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Guan MP
Hon. Agbenyo’s call comes at a time when the issue of illegal mining, or galamsey, remains a highly sensitive and politically charged topic in Ghana. The MP warned that selective justice, driven by political affiliations, only serves to damage the democratic fabric of the country.
He criticized the previous administration for what he called habitual shielding of allies from accountability. He cited earlier conflicts within the NPP in the Ashanti Region over Chairman Wontumi’s activities, suggesting that even party insiders had raised red flags.
“Their own people started fighting, even in the Ashanti Region, we all heard it and yet the president was not interested. As usual, he cleared him, he cleared his company, and the man was doing his thing”
Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Guan MP
As the matter garners national attention again, Hon. Agbenyo insisted that legal processes must proceed uninfluenced by political allegiances. His statements serve as a pointed reminder of the need for consistent justice in Ghana’s democratic evolution.
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