A police-led raid on illegal mining sites in the Western Region has ignited a public dispute between Elikem Kotoko, Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, and Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Kotoko said in a social media post that he joined an intelligence-led operation by the Ghana Police Service on behalf of the Forestry Commission on the eve of Good Friday, targeting six suspected illegal mining sites allegedly linked to Akonta Mining, a company widely believed to be associated with Wontumi.
https://www.facebook.com/share/16RADqN44y
According to Kotoko, the raid in Samreboi lasted 12 hours and led to the arrest of six Chinese nationals, two Koreans, and 18 Ghanaians. Authorities also seized eight excavators, two Toyota Hilux pickups, a Toyota RAV4, four motorbikes, and various mining equipment.
He commended the operation as a “positive result” and credited the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and the Inspector-General of Police for their support.
But in a lengthy response on social media, Chairman Wontumi denied any involvement in the mining operation, describing Kotoko’s claims as false and politically motivated.
“Yes, I called you but not because of your so-called raid,” Wontumi said, insisting he has “no interest, no investment, and no hand in any illegal mining activity.”
He said he had urged Kotoko to “arrest everyone, seize every machine and vehicle, and check the documents to see if my name appears anywhere.”
Wontumi, a prominent NPP figure, accused the Forestry Commission official of seeking to “crucify and disgrace” him on television, calling the allegations “cruel and disappointing.”
“I am not above the law, and I will always subject myself to it,” he wrote. “But please, let’s stop twisting lies into truth. I was never part of any illegal activity in the Tano Nimiri Forest.”
The clash comes amid renewed government efforts to curb galamsey, or illegal small-scale mining, which continues to damage Ghana’s forests and water bodies despite repeated crackdowns.
Source: metrotvonline.com
