The information gathered reveals Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been fingered for allegedly receiving GH¢50m from former deputy COCOBOD CEO Emmanuel Ray Ankrah.
According to the report the payment was made despite the Chief of Staff’s Julius Debrah explicit instruction to all state institutions to suspend payments.
The Ghana Chronicles in a post on X wrote, “ According to credible sources, on January 8, 2025, Wontumi received a whopping GH₵50,871,811.52 from the then-Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Emmanuel Ray Ankrah.
This payment was made, despite Mr Debrah’s explicit instruction to all state institutions to suspend payments until the incoming government had reviewed all outstanding payment certificates.
The payment was made for a cocoa roads project executed by Hallmark Civil Engineering, a company owned by Mr Boasiako”.
The Ghana Chronicles had earlier revealed that Chairman Wontumi’s bank account was frozen over alleged financial misconduct involving GH¢11 million cash withdrawal and GH¢39 million securities Transfer.
According to the Ghana Chronicles, Wontumi withdrew GH¢11 million in cash, bought 365-day Government securities worth GH¢39 million, and transferred them to his company, Paradise Insurance Company.
Again, the construction company Hallmark Civil Engineering was paid GH¢50,871,811.52 million by ex-deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD Emmanuel Ray Ankrah, against the explicit directive of the Chief of Staff.
Meanwhile, Chairman Wontumi has arrived at the Police CID Headquarters accompanied by former Attorney General Godfred Dame to honour an official invitation from the Criminal Investigation Department.
Wontumi’s appearance at the CID headquarters follows a failed attempt by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service on Friday, May 23, 2025, after they storm the residence of Chairman Wontumi, to effect an arrest.
According to reports, the raid, which took place around 9:00 a.m. involved about 20 heavily armed officers who arrived in five vehicles.
Chairman Wontumi was also accompanied by Lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi a former Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim North.
In a viral video on X, Chairman Wontumi was dressed in white as he honoured the CID invitation.
So far details of the questioning remain unclear, as the Ghana Police Service has yet to officially issue a statement on the situation.
Meanwhile, Wontumi’s legal team is expected to address the media following the engagement with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
See the post below:
until the incoming government had reviewed all outstanding payment certificates. The payment was made for a cocoa roads project executed by Hallmark Civil Engineering, a company owned by Mr Boasiako.
— Ghana Chronicles (@_GhChronicles) May 26, 2025
