Alfred Mahama, businessman and elder brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, says the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) is bitter because his request for a galamsey license for some of his chinese friends was not granted.
Speaking on Bole-based Nkilgi Fm, Alfred Mahama said Chairman Wontumi had pleaded with him earlier that he wanted to see his brother [to] discuss some issues related to mining with him when he was the president of Ghana so he led Wontumi to him.
He said, upon listening to the young man, he decided to assist him regardless of his political party affiliation, although he didn’t know that Wontumi was a strong NPP member at that time.
He revealed that his brother [John Mahama] declined the young man’s mining business proposal because of the inclusion of his thousands of Chinese nationals in the small-scale mining operations.
Alfred Mahama said, “From where I come from, I am always ready to support anybody who has the potentials to advance the name of Ghana in any field, irrespective of which political party or background of that person”.
He indicated that in 2012, he travelled with Wontumi from Kumasi to Tamale purposely to meet his brother who was then the President of Ghana. It was a time that he thought the young man had the opportunity to present his mining proposal to him in person. Unfortunately, the small-scale miner couldn’t technically and professionally convince the former president so he rejected his plan.
He said the Ex-President then advised that small-scale mining in Ghana is reserved for only Ghanaian citizens so he would rather be pleased with a proposal that would enable only Ghanaians to operate in an environmentally friendly manner without any foreign national involvement.
“Wontumi began to insult my brother publicly after his thousands of Chinese agents were part of the over 7,000 deported illegal Chinese miners from the country. Wontumi is a ‘galamsey kingpin’ and his party has no control over him”. He added.
Source: GhanaFeed.Com
