
A video of New Patriotic Party NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, boasting about his wealth has resurfaced on social media. This follows his conviction and sentencing in the Samreboi illegal mining case. On Monday, July 20, 2026, an Accra High Court sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour after finding him guilty on six counts related to illegal mining activities involving Akonta Mining Company Limited. In the resurfaced 2025 interview with GHOne TV's Serwaa Amihere, Wontumi claimed, "Kumasi here, I have about 100 houses. If you go to Kwadaso, there is a place I have built about 69 houses." He added, "Anything they have, I have more. I am the governor of Ashanti." The court imposed two concurrent 20-year prison terms, resulting in an effective 20-year sentence. He was also fined GH₵120,000, with a default three-year prison term if unpaid, while Akonta Mining was fined GH₵180,000. The court ordered the confiscation of excavators, water pumps, firearms, and GH₵157,000 in cash seized during investigations, citing severe environmental damage as a key reason for the sentence.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Must ReadTwo young Ghanaian women, aged 22 and 23, who traveled to Jordan in June 2026 for employment, are appealing to the Ghanaian government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for urgent help to return home. They report living under harsh conditions, without work, adequate food, or decent accommodation. They claim their movements are monitored and their passports have been seized. When they expressed a desire to return to Ghana, they were informed they needed to pay $1,920 for their departure. The women also stated that Ghana does not have an embassy in Jordan. They are calling on authorities and the public to intervene to facilitate their safe return to Ghana.
Must ReadJustin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party NPP, has characterized the 20-year sentence of the party's Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, as "political imprisonment." This statement followed the July 20, 2026, judgment by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay of the Accra High Court, which convicted Chairman Wontumi on all six charges. The NPP leadership held an emergency meeting to discuss the ruling, where Kodua urged members to support the party. He stated, "Indeed, we consider the decision of the court as amounting to political imprisonment. Chairman Wontumi is a political prisoner." The sentencing has generated significant discussion, and the party's legal team plans to appeal the judgment.
Must ReadGhana recorded 13,951 new HIV infections in 2025, with the Greater Accra Region having the highest number and the North East Region the lowest, according to Isaiah Doe Kwao, Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ghana AIDS Commission GAC. Of these, 1,227 were children aged 0-14 years and 12,724 were adults aged 15 years and above. In 2025, 12,051 AIDS-related deaths were reported, including 1,518 children and 10,533 adults. As of 2025, 337,435 people were living with HIV in Ghana, with females accounting for 65.7 percent and males 34.3 percent. Children aged 0-14 years made up 21,922 of the total, while adults aged 15 and above comprised 315,513. Kwao stated that 236,143 people knew their HIV status, 190,413 were on antiretroviral therapy ART, and 174,692 had achieved viral suppression. Ghana's progress towards the global 95-95-95 HIV targets stands at 70-81-92. Dr. Kharmacelle Akanbong, Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, noted significant progress in HIV prevention and treatment but highlighted ongoing disparities across regions and age groups. Dr. Kafui Senya, Technical Lead for HIV, TB and Hepatitis at the WHO Country Office, emphasized the need for sustained efforts despite global declines in infections and deaths.