Chairman Wontumi Apologizes to Mahama, Seeks Presidential Clemency
By FrimPong | The Breaking Desk
Published: July 28, 2026
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has apologised to President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama for comments he made during the heated campaign ahead of Ghana's 2024 general election.
The apology comes while the former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted over illegal mining-related offences connected to operations at Samreboi in the Western Region.
According to Wontumi's spokesperson, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, the apology is intended to promote reconciliation and is accompanied by an appeal for President Mahama to consider granting presidential clemency.
Boakye-Danquah said Wontumi regretted any remarks that may have gone beyond acceptable political discourse during the election campaign.
"The first call is to render an apology, and I think that is important. Former Chairman renders an apology to him if, at some stage, the conversations went overboard, which was never intended," Boakye-Danquah stated.
Apology not linked to legal proceedings
Boakye-Danquah stressed that the apology should not be interpreted as an admission that politics influenced the legal process leading to Wontumi's conviction.
According to him, the appeal is intended to encourage reconciliation and national unity rather than suggest that President Mahama or his administration played any role in the prosecution or sentencing.
"Not at all. We are aware that in this country there are influences. If you are able to identify those influences and begin making amends, I think we build a better society for all of us to live in," he added.
Background to the conviction
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment after Criminal Court 4 of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges brought against him.
The prosecution accused Wontumi, Akonta Mining Limited, and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, of engaging in unlawful mining activities on the company's concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
According to prosecutors, the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without obtaining the approval required under Ghana's mining laws. They were also found to have facilitated mining operations without the necessary authorisation, contrary to the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act.
The High Court ultimately convicted the accused on the charges presented by the prosecution and imposed the custodial sentence on Wontumi.
Why the apology matters
The apology comes months after the highly competitive 2024 election campaign, during which political rhetoric between the country's major parties frequently intensified.
While Wontumi's spokesperson has appealed for clemency, there has been no public indication from the Presidency regarding whether such a request will be considered.
The development adds a new political dimension to a case that has attracted significant public attention because of its links to illegal mining, commonly known in Ghana as galamsey, and the broader national debate over environmental protection and enforcement of mining laws.
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