Accra: An NPP activist identified as Akyaa has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to release the party's former Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, from prison. In a video circulating widely on social media on August 17, 2026, Akyaa pleaded with President Mahama to allow Wontumi to regain his freedom, arguing that he is the person capable of leading the New Patriotic Party (NPP) back to power in the 2028 general elections.
According to Ghana Web, Akyaa stated, 'President Mahama, please release Chairman Wontumi for us. He is the only one who can bring the NPP back to power, please release him from prison, so that he can contest for the position of National Chairman.' Akyaa also raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression, claiming that Ghanaians could no longer freely express their views without fear of arrest. 'We can't freely express ourselves. If you talk, they will arrest you, but this is an affront to Ghana's democracy,' she said.
Her comments come weeks after Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour by an Accra High Court following his conviction on illegal mining-related offences involving his company, Akonta Mining Limited. The court found Wontumi guilty of assigning mineral rights without the required ministerial approval and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining activities on the company's Samreboi concession in the Western Region. The two 20-year sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
He was also fined 10,000 penalty units on each of the two counts, while Akonta Mining was fined 15,000 penalty units on each of its two counts. Meanwhile, the Attorney General has opposed Wontumi's bail application, arguing that he poses a significant flight risk and that the grounds of appeal do not disclose any reasonable chance of success.