ACCRA, Ghana – April 25, 2025 — The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has taken a decisive step in Ghana’s anti-corruption drive by freezing all bank accounts belonging to Akonta Mining and its owner, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to high-level sources confirmed by the Daily Graphic, the accounts were frozen under Section 56(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044), which empowers the FIC to restrict access to accounts where reasonable suspicion of illicit financial activity exists.
The move forms part of the FIC’s widening crackdown on financial crimes, particularly in the natural resources sector, amid growing public concern over illegal mining and financial misconduct.
In an official directive issued to financial institutions, the FIC ordered the immediate suspension of all transactions involving:
- Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi),
- Akonta Mining,
- and Hallmark Civil Engineering Limited.
This action comes against the backdrop of mounting allegations against Akonta Mining, which has been under fire for alleged unauthorised mining operations in protected forest reserves.
Speaking at a press conference earlier this week, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, labelled Akonta Mining a “criminal syndicate,” accusing the company of violating the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995) by engaging in illegal mining in the Samreboi enclave of the Western North Region.
The accusation followed an intelligence-led raid on six sites, leading to the arrest of 51 illegal miners and the seizure of 30 excavators and other heavy-duty equipment.
The FIC’s action is being interpreted as a significant escalation in the state’s fight against corruption and financial crime, especially in the extractive sector where regulatory breaches have often gone unpunished.
As investigations continue, the public and political observers alike are awaiting further developments that could have major implications for both the political and business careers of one of the NPP’s most prominent regional leaders.
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