Wontumi, Ibrahim Mahama fight over bauxite deal

The abortive mission of Exton Cubic Company Ltd to mine bauxite at Nyinahin in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region seems to have rejuvenated the animosity between two top businessmen in the country.

From all indications, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka ‘Wontumi,’ the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Ibrahim Mahama, a brother of ex-President John Mahama, two foes, are set to fiercely battle over the issue in the coming days.

Wontumi fires Ibrahim

Already, Wontumi has fired the first salvo by sternly cautioning Ibrahim not to accuse him of influencing the relevant authorities to halt the operations of his company at Nyinahin.

He stated that nobody in the country, including himself (Wontumi) and Ibrahim, is above the laws of the country.

“If Ibrahim has flouted the law and he is being restrained by the authorities, he should not blame me wrongly.

Wontumi indicated that he doesn’t hold any political position in the current Akufo-Addo-led NPP government, adding that his claims were unfounded.

Ibrahim’s Accusations

According to Wontumi, Ibrahim and his numerous spokespersons have been accusing him (Wontumi) of halting the mining operations of Exton Cubic at Nyinahin.

“Ibrahim Mahama should not link me to his controversial and abortive bauxite mining or exploration mission at Nyinahin in the Ashanti Region,” spokesperson for Wontumi, Opoku Mensah, told Ashh FM in Kumasi.

“I am not a cabinet minister or DCE of Atwima Mponua therefore I don’t have any powers to stop anybody from carrying out his or her operations at Nyinahin as is being speculated by Ibrahim and his people.



“Ibrahim should solve his problem and leave me alone, because I don’t have any interest in his operations anywhere in the country, including Nyinahin so he should allow the law to deal with him and stop accusing me,” he declared.

It would be recalled that Ibrahim dragged Wontumi to a Kumasi High Court and filed for GHC2 million in damages for allegedly defaming him during a NPP rally at Obuasi in 2014.

Ibrahim, who is determined to ensure that Wontumi is punished for allegedly defaming him, attended virtually all the court sittings in Kumasi, but Wontumi is yet to personally visit the court which has not determined the case.