By Kingsley Mamore, GNA
Dambai (O/R), July 21, GNA – Some residents of the Oti Region have expressed mixed opinions on the reported 20-year prison sentence handed to New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over illegal mining-related offences.
In separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), while some residents described the sentence as appropriate and necessary to deter illegal mining, others considered it too harsh.
Mr Joseph Atango, a resident of the Krachi East Municipality, said the judgment should serve as a strong warning to individuals involved in illegal mining activities.
He said the court’s decision had sent a clear signal that environmental crimes would no longer be tolerated.
Mr Atango, however, blamed the previous government for what he described as weaknesses in the enforcement of the mining laws, noting that the law provides severe penalties for illegal mining offences.
Mr Francis Boyesah Gesaloge, a resident of Kadjebi in the Akan District, also welcomed the judgment, saying the destruction of the environment posed a serious threat to human survival.
He said every individual must be held accountable for their actions, regardless of their social or political status.
He stated that Mr Antwi Boasiko was not above the law and expressed hope that the case would serve as a lesson to public officials, political leaders and other influential people to act responsibly.
Mr Mohammed Abu Yussif shared similar views, describing the sentence as appropriate and a warning to people who use their positions of influence to engage in illegal mining and other unlawful activities.
He advised current public office holders to conduct themselves responsibly and always remember that they could be held accountable for their actions.
Mr Moses Kwame Chamba, a former government appointee and Assembly Member in the Krachi East Municipality, said his immediate reaction was that “the law has taken its course.”
He noted that a person’s status or position should never place them above the law, adding that integrity, humility, and service to humanity were more important than power or influence.
However, Mr Mathias Adreban, a resident of the Nkwanta South Municipality, held a different view, describing the 20-year sentence as excessive.
He said although wrongdoing should be punished, he believed the court could have exercised greater leniency in determining the sentence.
The views expressed by the residents reflects a broader part of the current national debate on the enforcement of Ghana’s anti-illegal mining laws and the need to balance deterrence with fairness in the administration of justice.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo