On July 20, 2026, an Accra High Court in Ghana sentenced senior opposition politician Bernard Antwi Boasiako to 20 years in prison following his conviction on multiple charges linked to illegal gold mining.
Boasiako, regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party, was found guilty on counts including the unlawful assignment of mineral rights without ministerial authorization and facilitating unlicensed mining operations.
The ruling marks the highest-profile conviction in the nation's ongoing struggle against illicit small-scale mining.
Impact of illegal mining on the economy
Unregulated gold extraction has damaged water bodies, degraded forest reserves, and impacted agricultural output across Ghana, with authorities estimating annual losses at $2 billion.
