By Collins Sarkodieh 
The high profile conviction of Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako has drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum. Former Lands and Natural Resources Minister Inusah Fuseini has openly stated that he feels no pity for the politician following his twenty year prison sentence.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, July 20, 2026, the former lawmaker emphasized that illegal mining has destroyed too many innocent lives across Ghana. His comments reflect the deep anger felt by ordinary citizens who suffer the daily environmental consequences of galamsey operations.
Inusah Fuseini explained that illegal mining is actively driving rural communities deeper into severe poverty. Smallholder farmers and fishermen can no longer rely on local rivers for drinking water or agricultural irrigation due to heavy chemical pollution.
In the past, farming families could easily fetch clean water directly from nearby streams while working in their fields. Today, those same water bodies are completely ruined by heavy machinery, forcing poor villagers to buy expensive sachet water just to survive.
The former minister recalled how Chairman Wontumi previously displayed gold bars on national television without facing immediate legal consequences. He noted that such public displays of wealth created a false impression that powerful politicians were above environmental laws.
Fuseini insisted that the court sentence simply serves as a delayed consequence for actions that went unchecked for far too long. Showing off wealth derived from unapproved mining operations while local rivers turn brown was bound to catch up with the politician eventually.
The Accra High Court found Chairman Wontumi guilty of illegally assigning mineral rights without approval from the sector minister. The court also convicted him for facilitating unauthorized mining activities on Akonta Mining Limited’s concession in Samreboi.
The judge sentenced Wontumi to twenty years in prison on each count, with both terms running concurrently. The court also slapped Akonta Mining Limited with massive financial fines of fifteen thousand penalty units per count, sending a loud warning to all commercial mining companies.
This landmark legal ruling proves that the long term health of our environment outweighs any individual political status. For years, ordinary Ghanaians called for equal enforcement of galamsey laws against big political operators.
Holding high profile figures accountable for environmental destruction gives our rivers and forest reserves a real chance to recover. The general public expects state prosecutors to maintain this strict stance against all illegal miners regardless of their political connections.
Also Read:Video: Chairman Wontumi Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison in Akonta Mining Case
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