26 busted in explosive anti-galamsey raid near Samreboi; Authorities link site to Wontumi

Ghana Police has stormed a forest reserve near Samreboi in the Western Region, arresting 26 individuals involved in illegal mining.

Among those arrested were six Chinese nationals, two Koreans, and eighteen Ghanaians, all believed to be actively mining in a protected forest zone.

The raid—meticulously coordinated through intelligence leads—involved Ghana Police’s elite units, including the Intelligence Directorate, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the National Operations Directorate, and the Formed Police Unit.

But it’s the name behind the mining site that has set off political tremors.

Authorities have linked the operation to Akonta Mining Company, a firm owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi—the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). This is not the first time Wontumi’s name has surfaced in galamsey-related controversies, but the scale and coordination of this bust have given the allegations new weight and urgency.

At the scene, law enforcement recovered a staggering cache of mining and security equipment: eight excavators (with five more abandoned due to transportation issues), two Toyota Hilux pickups, a Toyota RAV4, four motorbikes, and a spread of tools and firearms—including pump-action guns, water pumps, machetes, and payloaders.

The forest bore the brutal scars of illegal mining—razed trees, gouged-out land, and poisoned water bodies that once sustained entire communities.

Inspector General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno, who has vowed to take the fight to illegal miners no matter their political clout, praised the professionalism of the police units involved. “This operation marks a significant step in our battle against environmental terrorism. We are determined to protect our nation’s natural resources for future generations,” he stated.

The suspects are currently in custody and expected to face legal proceedings in the coming days. But already, the political implications are igniting public debate—especially as Ghana heads into an election season where galamsey, corruption, and environmental governance are poised to become key battlegrounds.

Environmentalists have called for an independent inquiry into the political protection networks that embolden illegal miners, while opposition voices are demanding transparency and accountability at the highest levels.