The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has strongly signalled his intention to contest the party’s national chairmanship position despite an ongoing illegal mining trial at the High Court in Accra.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Wontumi said the NPP needs “selfless, courageous and grassroots” leadership as it prepares for the 2028 general elections, stressing that these qualities define his political character.
“In these times, we need leadership that is selfless, courageous, and firmly rooted in the grassroots. I am built for the battle ahead,” he wrote.
His renewed declaration comes as he faces six criminal charges linked to alleged illegal mining activities at his Samreboi concession in the Western Region. Wontumi, together with Kwame Antwi—who is currently at large—and his company, Akonta Mining, is accused of assigning mineral rights without approval and deliberately facilitating unlicensed mining operations, contrary to provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended.
The trial, which began on January 12, 2026, has so far heard testimony from two prosecution witnesses. The first witness, Michael Gyedu Ayisi, admitted during cross-examination that he had no documentary evidence directly linking Wontumi to the alleged transfer of the concession. The second witness, Henry Okum, told the court that Wontumi personally handed over the Samreboi concession to him for mining operations.
Wontumi was arrested on October 7, 2025, and later granted bail totalling 25 million Ghana cedis in two separate cases. As part of his bail conditions, the court has barred him from travelling outside the country, placed him on an immigration stop list, and directed him to report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) twice every month—on the first and third Mondays.
The three-term Ashanti Regional Chairman first made his national chairmanship ambitions public in May 2025, claiming he was guided by divine direction. He has consistently argued that his extensive grassroots mobilisation and personal financial contributions to the party over the past decade make him well suited to lead the NPP back to power in 2028.
In an earlier televised interview, Wontumi cited his role in financing nomination forms for thousands of party aspirants in 2014 and 2018. He also claimed to have contributed one billion old cedis—equivalent to about 100,000 US dollars—to support the party’s 2015 National Congress in Tamale.
Despite his confidence, questions remain over whether party delegates will endorse his bid in light of the ongoing legal proceedings. The NPP has not yet officially opened nominations for its national executive positions, though several party stalwarts have already indicated interest in the national chairmanship, including former General Secretary John Boadu and former Vice Chairman Sammy Crabbe.
If successful, Wontumi’s bid would be historic, as the NPP has never had a national chairman from the Ashanti Region, despite it being the party’s strongest electoral base. Past national chairmen—from Peter Ala Adjetey to the current chairman, Stephen Ntim—have all hailed from outside the region.
Political analysts say Wontumi’s legal challenges could significantly affect his prospects, noting that the party traditionally favours candidates with clean reputations for its top leadership roles. Under the NPP constitution, delegates retain broad discretion in determining the suitability of aspirants.
The NPP is expected to elect its national officers later in 2026 as part of efforts to reorganise following its heavy defeat in the December 2024 general elections, which saw the party lose both the presidency and its parliamentary majority.
