- Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, former Majority Leader, has accused the Mahama-led administration of using state agencies to target NPP members
- He criticised EOCO, NIB and the Special Prosecutor’s office for allegedly making politically motivated arrests targeted at NPP members
- The former MP urged President John Mahama to address the culture of impunity and abuse in his next national address
Former Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has slammed the John Mahama-led government for what he termed growing impunity and harassment.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who served as the majority leader of Ghana’s Parliament, claimed that some arrests made by the ruling government, particularly those involving members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), were unnecessary.
According to him, the government was using state security agencies to intimidate opposition members under the guise of fighting corruption.
“The way people are using the Office of the Special Prosecutor to arrest others, and how Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), the National Bureau of Investigation (NIB), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) are arresting people with impunity, where are we going as a nation?” he said.
“To the best of my knowledge, they have not been able to file charges or initiate court proceedings against anyone.”
The former legislator made these remarks while speaking to Channel One TV about the recent arrest of some NPP members by EOCO and NIB.
He also advised President Mahama to address to the growing culture of impunity and human rights abuses in his next State of the Nation Address.
“I’m not happy with what is happening. The arrest of Wontumi, Abronye, and some former ministers who are now required to report every week is certainly not the best of circumstances,” he added.
“If Wontumi has done anything wrong, you go to him. I understand they have confiscated 15 vehicles. These are matters all of us should be concerned about,” he further stated.
Chairman Wontumi’s battles with the state
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation over his alleged involvement in illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
On Friday, October 3, 2025, the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, disclosed that the charges against Chairman Wontumi, his company, Akonta Mining Limited, and five others have been finalised and signed.
Chairman Wontumi is set to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, to respond to the charges levelled against him by the Attorney General.
Chairman Wontumi granted bail
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Chairman Wontumi was granted GH₵1 million bail after appearing before the Police CID over illegal mining allegations.
EOCO earlier arrested the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman after evading an initial attempt by national security to arrest him at his Kumasi home.
Lawyer for Chairman Wontumi, Andy Appiah-Kubi, was coy on the charges levelled against his client but confirmed that they will appear in court on October 7.