The incarcerated Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has apologised to President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama over remarks he made about them during the 2024 general election campaign.
The apology forms part of an appeal for clemency following Chairman Wontumi’s conviction and 20-year prison sentence for illegal mining activities in the Samreboi Forest Reserve in the Western Region.
Chairman Wontumi conveyed the apology through his spokesperson, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, who disclosed the development during an interview with Citi FM.
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According to Boakye-Danquah, the apology was intended as a gesture of goodwill and a step towards reconciliation as the former NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman seeks consideration for the President’s prerogative of mercy.
“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 said.
Apology not admission of political interference
Boakye-Danquah, however, stressed that Chairman Wontumi’s apology should not be interpreted as an admission that political differences between the NPP figure and President Mahama influenced the legal proceedings that resulted in his conviction.
He said the appeal for forgiveness was instead aimed at promoting reconciliation and encouraging a more peaceful political environment.
“Not at all. We are aware that there are influences in this country. If you can identify those influences and begin making amends, I think we build a better society for all of us to live in,” he said.
The spokesperson maintained that the call for clemency was not intended to suggest political interference in the prosecution or judicial process.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after the Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges.
He was prosecuted alongside Akonta Mining Limited and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, over illegal mining activities allegedly carried out on the company’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
According to the prosecution, the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without the approval of the sector minister and facilitated mining operations without the required authorisation.
The charges were brought under provisions of Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act.
Appeal for clemency
The latest development has placed Chairman Wontumi’s apology to President Mahama and Lordina Mahama at the centre of discussions surrounding his appeal for clemency.
His spokesperson’s comments indicate that the apology is being presented as part of efforts to seek forgiveness and reconciliation while asking the President to consider exercising his constitutional prerogative of mercy.
The development is expected to attract further attention as discussions continue over Chairman Wontumi’s conviction, his 20-year prison sentence and the broader fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, in Ghana.
Editor’s note: This report is based on comments attributed to Palgrave Boakye-Danquah during an interview with Citi FM. Any legal claims or allegations should be understood in the context of the court proceedings and the applicable judicial process.