Latest news with #Kumasi
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Who be di Ghana opposition party businessman 'Chairman Wontumi' wey authorities dey pursue?
Police and di economic and organised crime office (EOCO) dey pursue one ogbonge opposition party chairman ova plenti allegations. Bernard Antwi Boasiako (alias Chairman Wontumi) bin dey under pressure as di state dey chase am about im involvement for illegal mining (galamsey) and oda financial crimes. Dem bin rush di Ashanti regional chairman of di opposition NPP to hospital afta im allegedly fall sick during interrogation by EOCO. Dem arrest Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias "chairman Wontumi" on Tuesday afta im report to di police CID office, a day afta dem grant am bail wit two sureties. Di businessman chop accuse say im dey involve for illegal mining (galamsey), im dey pollute water bodies and also entering forest reserve without authorization wit im mining company. Last week, security pipo don go im house for Kumasi wit search warrant but oga Wontumi im private security no allow di officers to enter di house - but im gree to report imsef for di police station on Monday 26 May. Na so officers from EOCO don arrest di controversial opposition party chairman afta im visit di police CID Tuesday afternoon. Party supporters and dia leaders gather wia dem spend di night for EOCO office to demand di release of dia chairman. Dem cause kasala wit police and soldiers for dia wia some bin burn tyres wia dem dey chant. Afta six hours of interrogation, Oga Wontumi say im fall sick wia dem rush am to hospital. Im lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi confam say, "we neva finish di interrogation bifor my client fall sick, na so dem carry am go hospital." "If dem bin treat am wey im dey fit, we go come back to continue di interrogation, unless di doctors tok say im no dey well." Di arrest of chairman Wontumi dey in connection wit anoda mata different from di illegal mining allegations. Im lawyer say "we don receive anoda writ of summons by Exim Bank wey we go respond to di mata, we go mount defence for our client – dis na civil mata, but for di ones wey be criminal case, we go mount defence for oga Wontumi." Party leaders and di supporters tok say di way dem arrest dia chairman, no good. National youth organiser Salam Mustapha say di way dem arrest dia party member na "rambo-style." "Dis na democracy, di goment no fit to use state security to intimidate political opponents. Why dem go arrest pesin dis way? Dem fit to invite am wey im go present imsef. But to treat pesin like dis, na unfair." Oga Wontumi no be di only officer for di opposition party wey dey under investigation for various allegations of corruption Di former signals bureau boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene and im wife dey under trial say dem allegedly cause financial loss to di state wey dem also divert state funds. Di former director and di board chairman for di Ghana infrastructure and minerals fund (GIIF) also bin dey before court ova one $2m sky train mata. Di attorney general bin dey pursue oda former goment appointees ova alleged corruption among oda tins. Who be chairman Wontumi and why e dey popular? Chairman Wontumi na ogbonge pesin for di new patriotic party (NPP) – wey im be di chairman of di party for dia stronghold di Ashanti Region. Im dey popular sake of some of di tins im dey tok and how im dey handle tins. Im na old student of Prempeh College. Di businessman man get plenty businesses – im get mining companies, im dey for di construction and oda industries. For 2022, im declare say im wan buy Chelsea football club; im tok say im submit $3.1bn bid to buy di English club. Di businessman also bin get media business – wit TV and radio station. Three years ago, im carry wetin im describe as "pure gold" to im station wia im display for live TV. "Dis na solid moni, dis na pure gold, we no dey joke for dis kontri. Solid moni," chairman Wontumi tok as im dey display five bars of gold for di TV. Chairman Wontumi na one of di financiers of im party – na so im dey so powerful, especially during di last eight years under di NPP goment. Many civil society groups bin dey petition di police CID under di Nana Akufo-Addo goment say Chairman Wontumi im mining companies dey involve for illegal mining for di forest reserves. But di president at di time, Nana Akufo-Addo tok say di chairman company no dey involve for illegal mining even though di minister for lands and natural resources at di time, Samuel Abu Jinapor confam say di party chairman im company dey involve for illegal mining. Di environmental groups bin petition di police CID again dis year afta di elections say make di police investigate am, na dat be one of di reasons wey dem invite am to di CID headquarters. Despite im popularity for di NPP, im dey divide opinion among di party leadership. Im wan rise from im post as Ashanti regional chairman to become di national chairman of di opposition party.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
United Kingdom (UK) Trade Envoy Visits Ghana to Deepen Bilateral Economic Relations
The British High Commission Accra is pleased to announce that Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the UK's Trade Envoy to Ghana, will undertake her first official visit to Ghana from 19 –22 May 2025. The four-day mission will include engagements in Accra and Kumasi, underscoring the UK's commitment to deepening bilateral trade relations and fostering economic growth. Appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January 2025, Ms. Ribeiro-Addy is part of the UK government's global network of Trade Envoys, working to promote British trade interests in over 70 countries. Her visit to Ghana marks a significant milestone in her role and reflects the UK's strategic focus on strengthening partnerships across Africa. During her visit, Ms. Ribeiro-Addy will meet with a range of high-level stakeholders, including: Hon. Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Minister of Finance Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Hon. Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, Deputy Minister of Education Senior government officials, traditional leaders, and academic representatives UK businesses operating in Ghana and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) These discussions will focus on expanding trade and investment opportunities, enhancing economic cooperation, and identifying areas for mutual growth. In Kumasi, Ms. Ribeiro-Addy will tour two major UK Export Finance (UKEF)-backed projects: the Kumasi Airport and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital maternity block. These initiatives highlight the UK's ongoing support for infrastructure development in Ghana's Ashanti Region. She will also host a roundtable with the Women's Parliamentary Caucus, aimed at fostering collaboration on gender-inclusive economic development and leadership. Ms. Ribeiro-Addy said: "I am honoured to represent the UK in Ghana and look forward to engaging with our Ghanaian partners. This visit is an important step in strengthening our trade relations and exploring new avenues for collaboration. I am confident that our discussions will pave the way for a brighter economic future for both our countries." British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, added: "We are thrilled to welcome Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP to Ghana. Her visit reflects our shared commitment to building stronger international partnerships, promoting global trade, and realising a vision of inclusive prosperity." Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
