'I didn’t say Wontumi must be jailed' – United Party Research Director

Director of Research for the United Party, Mr. Ramzi Inusah, has stated that the ongoing legal proceedings involving Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi should be viewed as a matter of justice rather than political allegiance.

Speaking on New Day while discussing the Samreboi illegal mining case, Mr. Inusah stressed that his position was not that Chairman Wontumi should be convicted, but that the judicial process must be allowed to proceed without interference.

“I said justice must be served. I didn’t say that Wontumi must be jailed,” he stated.

According to him, the allegations surrounding the case and the public interest it has generated make it difficult to defend the NPP chairman without allowing the courts to determine the facts.

“It is a very difficult task to sit here and defend Wontumi,” he said.

Mr. Inusah argued that concerns about the activities of Akonta Mining did not emerge only after the current court proceedings, noting that state institutions had previously raised issues regarding the company's operations.

He cited findings and concerns reportedly brought to the attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources by agencies such as the Forestry Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“Leading to the press release by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, there was a lot of evidence before the Minister from the Forestry Commission and the EPA against Akonta Mining,” he said.

While maintaining that the courts must ultimately determine liability and responsibility, Mr. Inusah cautioned against dismissing the issues at stake on partisan grounds.

He urged all stakeholders to allow the legal process to take its course, insisting that the pursuit of justice should remain the overriding consideration in the matter.