The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has frozen all bank accounts linked to Bernard Antwi Boasiako—popularly known as Chairman Wontumi—and his mining company, Akonta Mining, amid mounting allegations of financial irregularities and potential money laundering.
According to 3news.com, the action was carried out under Section 56(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044), which empowers the Centre to restrict access to accounts when there is reasonable suspicion of illicit financial activity.
In a formal directive issued to financial institutions, the FIC ordered an immediate suspension of all transactions involving Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining, and Hallmark Civil Engineering Limited, pending further instructions.
The freeze forms part of a broader investigation into suspected financial crimes, including money laundering and related offenses.
Chairman Wontumi, who also serves as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has faced increasing public scrutiny in recent months. His company, Akonta Mining, has come under fire following a directive from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to revoke its mining license.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, April 21, 2025, Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah described Akonta Mining as a “criminal syndicate,” accusing the firm of engaging in illegal mining activities within protected forest reserves.
This latest action by the FIC highlights the agency’s heightened efforts to enforce Ghana’s anti-money laundering laws and clamp down on financial crime.
The Centre has recently intensified its crackdown on individuals and entities suspected of abusing financial systems, particularly in high-risk sectors like mining.
The freezing of Chairman Wontumi’s accounts is widely seen as a significant escalation in the government’s ongoing campaign to root out corruption and promote accountability within the natural resources sector.
Further updates are anticipated as investigations progress.
