Wontumi’s outrageous $45m COCOBOD rehabilitation road contract leaks

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, is known as Chairman Wontumi. A leaked document reveals a $45 million road contract linked to him.

The Ghana Cocoa Board paid this amount to Hallmark Civil Engineering Limited. This company is associated with Wontumi and was contracted for the Dadieso-Akontombra Road project. The project was supposed to be completed in 24 months.

Reports indicate that Hallmark Civil Engineering did not construct the road after receiving payment. The company was registered in 2018 for building and road construction.

Despite its registration, Hallmark received a large contract from COCOBOD without proof of capability. Ghana Chronicles reported that Wontumi's company got the $45 million contract by November 2020. This contract covers only 20 kilometers of road, costing $2 million per kilometer for rehabilitation.

Chairman Wontumi has denied these allegations. After being granted bail on May 26 for another case, he spoke to the media. He stated it is untrue that he collected money from COCOBOD.

Wontumi explained that contractors use their own funds upfront for projects. They are reimbursed only after completion, based on assessments by engineers from COCOBOD and the Ghana Highways Authority.

He noted that COCOBOD took nearly three years to fulfill its payment obligations. Therefore, he claims they cannot say they do not owe him money.

Additionally, Wontumi allegedly received GH¢50 million from former deputy COCOBOD CEO Emmanuel Ray Ankrah. This payment occurred despite an instruction from Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to suspend payments until a new government reviewed outstanding certificates.

Ghana Chronicles reported that on January 8, 2025, Wontumi received over GH₵50 million for a cocoa roads project executed by his company.