‘Good for Ghana, but Wontumi sentence should have been more’ – Coalition Against Galamsey

The Convenor of the Coalition Against Galamsey, Kenneth Ashigbey, has welcomed the conviction and 20-year prison sentence handed to New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, describing the judgment as a victory for Ghana’s fight against illegal mining.

However, Mr Ashigbey said the punishment should have been more severe, arguing that those convicted of illegal mining deserve the maximum penalties provided under the law because of the extensive environmental and human damage caused by their activities.

Speaking in an interview with Accra-based JoyNews following the High Court’s ruling, Mr Ashigbey described the judgment as “a good day for Ghana” and for civil society organisations and media groups that have consistently campaigned against illegal mining.

“This is a good day for Ghana. This is a good day for the media coalition against illegal mining and for all who want to see the back of this existential threat that confronts all of us as citizens,” he said.

He disclosed that the case was among several petitions pursued by the Coalition Against Galamsey, which had petitioned the then Attorney General and the Inspector-General of Police and continued to monitor the prosecution over the years.

Mr Ashigbey commended the current Attorney General for seeing the case through to its conclusion and praised the trial judge for what he described as demonstrating courage in delivering the verdict. He also acknowledged the current Minister for Lands and Natural Resources for pursuing investigations into the coalition’s petition, while crediting former Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor for first publicly alleging that Akonta Mining had engaged in illegal activities.

Despite welcoming the sentence, Mr Ashigbey said he would have preferred the court to impose the maximum custodial sentence of 25 years together with the highest financial penalty permitted under the law.

“On the issue of the 20 years in jail, I would have wished that the judge had given the maximum sentence of 25 years and also added the maximum fine,” he said.

He argued that illegal mining should be treated as a grave crime because of its devastating consequences for public health, the environment and the economy.

According to him, the destruction of water bodies and farmlands, increased flooding, kidney-related diseases, birth defects and contamination of agricultural produce with heavy metals were all linked to illegal mining activities.

“The reason why we need to be drastic in the sentencing of people who are involved in galamsey is that what they do is mass murder,” he stated.