NPP reacts with anger at Chairman  Bernard Antwi Boasiako sentenced to 20 years in jail

Ghana’s main opposition party reacted with anger after one of its most influential leaders was sentenced to 20 years in jail, with hard labour, for illegal mining offences.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) alleged that the landmark judgement against Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the party’s chairman for the Ashanti region, was politically motivated.

Popularly known as “Chairman Wontumi,” Boasiako is the first senior politician in Ghana convicted of illegal mining since the government began cracking down on the practice in 2017.

In addition to the jail sentence, Boasiako, who denied the charges, was ordered to pay more than $10,000 (£7,450) in fines. He looked visibly shocked when the judge handed down the sentence in a court in the capital, Accra, on Monday.

The NPP politician was found guilty of “assigning mineral rights without approval” and “facilitating an unlicensed mining operation” through his company, Akonta Mining.

Ghana is Africa’s leading gold producer, but a large portion of the country’s waters and environment have been polluted by illegal mining, known locally as “galamsey”.

Over the years, governments have attempted to tackle the problem, even deploying the military, with little effect.

Following Boasiako’s conviction, NPP general secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong told reporters: ”The fight against illegal mining cannot become credible only when it targets political opponents in respect of whom evidence of wrongdoing does not exist.” He alleged that the judge had ignored “clear evidence” that would have exonerated Boasiako.