Collins Dauda is the Member of Parliament for Asutifi South
The Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda, has denied claims that he demanded the release of suspects arrested by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
Speaking on Asempa FM on Monday, November 3, 2025, Dauda shared his account, stating that he received calls while away on international duty about the presence of military personnel in his constituency.
Asutifi North MP breaks silence over alleged involvement in mob attack on soldiers
According to him, he first called the assemblyman to visit the site so he could speak with the leader of the NAIMOS team for a briefing.
However, he said his request was unsuccessful, as the commander refused to speak with him.
“I left Ghana to attend meetings for the Pan-African Parliament in South Africa. I received several calls from people in my constituency about the presence of some military men conducting operations.
“I asked the assemblyman to visit the site so I can speak with the leader of the team [soldiers] to give me a briefing. When the assemblyman arrived, the leader of the team [soldiers] refused to speak with me,” he narrated.
Dauda, a long-serving lawmaker in Parliament, added that in an attempt to ascertain what was happening, he contacted the Asutifi North MP, Ebenezer Addo, who was in his constituency attending a funeral, to visit the site of the illegal mining raid.
He indicated that the commander this time agreed to speak with him over the phone through Addo. Dauda stressed that Addo went to the site at his request and not on his own initiative.
“In the same moment, the Asutifi North MP [Ebenezer Addo] called me that he was coming to my constituency to attend a funeral, and so I called him, considering his higher position to visit the site so I can speak with the commander of the team and maybe the commander will not refuse to talk to me since he is an MP.”
He continued, “He had no plans of coming there but went there because of my request and demand for briefings… When he [Addo] got there, the commander agreed to speak with me. The commander said that some people were illegally mining in the area, and they had demolished the shelters. I did not say anything to him, the call dropped in the process, and I did not call him back.”
Collins Dauda stated that on record, he only later learned of the youth attack on the NAIMOS team and was not aware of the presence of thugs at the site where the illegal miners were arrested, categorically asserting that he never ordered anyone’s release.
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“I later heard that some angry youths had attacked the team at the police station… No. I never ordered the release of any suspects. I wasn’t even aware of any thugs going to the site. Why would I organise thugs and direct an MP to lead the thugs to go and attack them?” he said.
Watch the interview below:
MAG/AE
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