Ghana court cracks down on illegal mining, jails opposition politician for 20 years

A Ghanaian court has sentenced a prominent opposition politician to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty of engaging in illegal mining, marking one of the country’s most significant convictions in its ongoing crackdown on the offence.

Ghana, one of Africa’s leading gold producers, has struggled for years to curb illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey.”

The illicit activity has caused widespread environmental damage, polluted major water bodies, threatened cocoa farming, and fuelled corruption within the country’s political and economic systems.

Authorities estimate that illegal mining destroys vast forest reserves, contaminates rivers and streams, and results in economic losses of about $2 billion every year, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the West African nation.

The High Court in Accra found Bernard Antwi-Boasiako the leader in the Ashanti Region of opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) guilty on all six charges against him.

They include the unlawful assignment of mineral rights and the intentional facilitation of unlicenced mining operations in gold-mining areas.

His conviction followed the arrest in April 2025 of several miners and the seizure of excavators, firearms and cash in a police raid on illegal mining operations.

“The allegation was never contested. The accused admitted that no ministerial approval was received,” said judge Audrey Kocuvie-Tay.

The 20-year sentence falls within the statutory punishment range of between 15 and 25 years provided for under the west African country’s laws.

The opposition has accused the government of John Mahama, which came into office last year, of selectively targeting its members.

Antwi-Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, is a prominent figure within the NPP, which governed Ghana from 2017 to 2025 before losing power to Mahama’s National Democratic Congress.

Several NPP figures, including former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, have faced investigations or legal proceedings since the NDC returned to power.

The government says the investigations and prosecutions are based on evidence and are not politically motivated.

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