Wontumi dismisses allegations of GH¢50m COCOBOD payout

The Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, has denied claims of receiving GH¢50 million from the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

These allegations have been widely reported in the media. They suggest that Wontumi’s company, Hallmark Engineering, received this payment despite a directive to halt payments during the transition period.

Wontumi called these claims “completely false and misleading.” He strongly denied any wrongdoing.

“It is absolutely untrue that I collected money from COCOBOD,” he stated to journalists in Accra on May 26. This was shortly after he was granted bail in a separate case related to illegal mining activities.

He explained that government contractors do not receive funds upfront. Instead, they must pre-finance their projects before getting reimbursed.

“If you are constructing a road, you use your own funds,” he said. This highlights the standard procedure for infrastructure contracts.

After completing the work, contractors are reimbursed based on assessments by government agencies.

“The contractor is reimbursed only after the road is completed,” he added. Engineers from the Ghana Highways Authority and COCOBOD assess and value the project based on agreed rates.

Wontumi mentioned that COCOBOD was required to issue payment within 28 days of completion. However, he claimed they delayed payment for nearly three years.

“So COCOBOD cannot claim they do not owe me,” he concluded. He insisted that any funds received were legitimate and overdue.