BBC's Caption on Chairman Wontumi's Arrest Triggers Backlash From Ghanaians
- Ghanaians criticized BBC after the broadcaster described reactions to Wontumi's sentencing as shocking
- Many social media users said the phrase misrepresented public sentiment toward the ruling in Ghana
- The backlash comes amid renewed attention on an old video of Wontumi challenging John Mahama
The BBC has faced backlash from Ghanaians online after a caption used on its X account to describe reactions to Chairman Wontumi's sentencing.
Source: Twitter
The broadcaster's wording was seen by many as misrepresenting how Ghanaians actually responded to the ruling.
Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he and his company, Akonta Mining Limited, were found guilty of illegal mining activities on a concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The case had drawn widespread public attention in Ghana, with illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, remaining one of the country's most contentious environmental and political issues.
BBC's Wontumi caption sparks backlash
Following the conviction of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party on charges related to illegal mining, BBC World posted a caption on X at 12:07 PM on July 21, 2026, that read:
"Shock and anger after top Ghanaian politician sentenced to 20 years for illegal mining."
The post has since attracted over 235,300 views, with a significant portion of the comments coming from Ghanaians who took issue with its characterisation.
BBC World's X post describing Ghanaians' reactions to the arrest of Chairman Wontumi is shown below.
Ghanaians react to BBC's Wontumi framing
Reaction to the BBC's caption was largely critical, with many users questioning where the broadcaster sourced its description of public sentiment.
YEN.com.gh compiled some of the comments from the post.
niaOboadiyer wrote:
"BBC, which one is shock and anger? All y'all somehow connected with this man's crimes?"
ini JAHSON said:
"Who and who is angry? We are happy justice has been served, and you're writing nonsense. You're tarnishing the image of your mother company. Wise up."
ValleyOftheKings commented:
"No shock and no anger. It's relief and happiness. He has caused a lot of destruction and death. Always downplaying the story to fit your agenda. BBC has no credibility."
Labadi_boy added:
"Nobody is angry here in Ghana. We want to stop illegal mining, and we fully support the judiciary for this sentence."
Mawuli ATATSI wrote:
"Hello @BBCWorld / @BBCBreaking. Who told you Ghanaians are shocked? Which group of people did you meet, on or off the street, who told you they are angry? Ghanaians expect more of this from our system. We are rather not satisfied. We want more. That should be your headline."
Old video of Wontumi challenging Mahama resurfaces
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that an old video of Wontumi defending Akonta Mining resurfaced online following his sentencing, after being reshared by a social media content creator.
In the video, Wontumi addressed past comments made by President Mahama about disbanding Akonta Mining, saying his success would not be determined by anyone's opinion of him.
Source: YEN.com.gh
