Wontumi's 20-year jail term is not victory in fight against galamsey — Arnold Baidoo

Entertainment pundit Arnold Asamoah Baidoo has weighed in on the 20-year prison sentence handed to Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

He stated that the conviction should not be celebrated as a victory in Ghana's fight against illegal mining.

Speaking during a discussion on UTV's United Showbiz on July 26, 2026, Arnold explained that Wontumi was convicted on two principal offences, which were later consolidated by the court.

According to him, the first offence related to the unlawful assignment of mineral rights without the approval of the sector minister, while the second involved facilitating mining operations without the required licence.

"I saw two offences in Wontumi's arrest since they added everything up and summarised them into two. Him assigning mineral rights to individuals, as they didn't go through the approval of the minister. The other one is him purposely facilitating mining operations that weren't licensed," he said.

Arnold further explained that the sentence imposed on Wontumi extends beyond imprisonment, noting that it also includes hard labour.

"Talking about the sentencing, it's not just the 20 years imprisonment; it comes with hard labour. Meaning they would let him do all the hard jobs like construction, farming, washing and others," he shared.

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He also outlined the reasons the judge reportedly gave for imposing the 20-year sentence.

According to Arnold, the court considered the gravity of the offences, the need to deter others from engaging in activities that destroy the environment, the violation of laws protecting Ghana's mineral resources, and the environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.

"The judge gave four bases for sentencing Wontumi for 20 years. He said the gravity of the offence was high. Secondly, it was to serve as a deterrent against environmental destruction. Thirdly, Wontumi broke laws that protect our mineral resources. Fourthly, illegal mining is degrading the environment and destroying our water bodies," he explained.

Despite acknowledging that Wontumi must face the consequences of his actions if found guilty, Arnold argued that the conviction alone does not signify success in the country's campaign against galamsey.

He stressed that illegal mining continues across the country despite the high-profile conviction.

"The way Chairman Wontumi was prosecuted and jailed is not a win in the fight against galamsey. Those who feel like they've won because he has been jailed should know that on the very day he was sentenced, some people were still mining while our water bodies continued to be destroyed," he noted.

He urged Ghanaians to focus on the broader challenge of eradicating illegal mining rather than celebrating the imprisonment of one individual.

"Let us not relish this. We admit he broke the law and needs to face the repercussions. However, the bigger picture is the galamsey that is killing us, so we shouldn't rejoice simply because he has been arrested," he added.

Galamsey fight goes beyond one individual; Chairman Wontumi’s sentence should not be treated as a victory to celebrate - @arnoldbaidoo #UnitedShowbiz pic.twitter.com/xR6MGnkp7v

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) July 26, 2026