The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is reportedly planning a high-level delegation to meet President John Dramani Mahama ‘and beg on behalf of the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako’, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
The Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, revealed this during an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. According to him, the party believes President Mahama may be influencing the legal troubles currently confronting Wontumi.
“For Chairman Wontumi’s case, we’re going to beg. The hand behind this is bigger than the people who run EOCO and the intelligence agencies. I will put it at the doorstep of President Mahama,” he said.
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Dr. Afriyie disclosed that on June 9, he showed Wontumi a series of videos—widely circulated before the 2024 elections—in which Wontumi made inflammatory and personal remarks. He said Wontumi acknowledged that he went too far and has agreed to apologise.
“If we have to kneel in front of President Mahama, we will do it. He [Wontumi] crossed the line with those videos. Political competition is fine, but personal attacks rooted in lies are unacceptable,” Dr. Afriyie added.
Chairman Wontumi is currently under investigation by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for alleged financial crimes, including money laundering and fraud. His legal team believes the bail terms—set at GH¢50 million—are excessive. On Monday, June 2, 2025, they withdrew a motion filed at the High Court to review the bail conditions, after securing a second surety to support his release.
Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP for Asante-Akim North and a member of Wontumi’s defence team, said all legal options are being pursued. He also criticized EOCO’s procedure, claiming that the agency arrested Wontumi without issuing a formal invitation.
Appiah-Kubi pointed out that Wontumi had already honoured an earlier invitation from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. That investigation concerns alleged illegal mining activities. Meanwhile, EOCO is conducting a separate probe related to a financial transaction said to have caused losses to the state—details of which remain undisclosed.