Wontumi To File Nomination For NPP National Chairman On August 27 Despite 20-Year Prison Sentence

Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi and former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is set to file his nomination for the party’s National Chairman position on Thursday, August 27, 2026, despite a recent 20-year prison sentence for illegal mining-related offences.

His campaign team has already collected the nomination forms and confirmed they will submit the completed documents at the NPP national headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra. 

Communications Director for Wontumi’s campaign, Ewuradwoa Coleman stated that the team is proceeding with the bid and believes his incarceration should not automatically end his political ambitions. She added that any legal or constitutional questions about his eligibility should be determined by the appropriate party bodies according to established rules.

Wontumi was convicted by an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, on charges linked to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region. The court found him guilty of assigning mineral rights without the required ministerial approval and facilitating unlicensed mining operations. He received a 20-year prison sentence in addition to a fine of GH¢120,000.

His legal team has filed an application for bail pending the hearing and determination of an appeal against the conviction and sentence.

The development raises questions about eligibility under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and the NPP’s internal rules. Provisions that bar individuals sentenced to more than 10 years imprisonment from contesting parliamentary seats are relevant, as party executive positions are often linked to similar standards. However, NPP National Elections Committee Chairman Fredrick Opare-Ansah has indicated that the party’s secretariat cannot prevent anyone from obtaining nomination forms. Eligibility will be decided by the Vetting Committee, which is scheduled to review aspirants between August 31 and September 3, 2026.

Completed nomination forms must be filed by Saturday, August 29, 2026, following a two-day extension. The national delegates’ election is scheduled for October 3, 2026.

Wontumi’s decision to pursue the National Chairman race while facing a lengthy prison term has drawn attention to the intersection of legal accountability and political participation within the NPP’s internal processes.