The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has explained that he intervened in the operation of the National Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in Ahafo Hwidiem upon the request of the MP for the area, Collins Dauda.
He said that he chanced on the commotion at Ahafo Hwidiem, which is in Asutifi South, Collins Dauda’s constituency, and called him to inform him of what was going on.
He denied allegations that he incited the mob and obstructed the NAIMOS team to release some persons arrested by the military officers.
“The incident happened in my neighbouring constituency, Asutifi South. What happened was that for us politicians, when we go to our constituencies, Saturdays are market days. By market days, I mean we attend a lot of funerals and weddings.
“I was going to a funeral at (sic)… and on my way, I heard some commotion going on at Hwidiem, which made me call the MP for the area, who I share boundaries with, Honourable Collins Dauda. I asked him whether he was in the constituency, and he made me aware that he was not in the constituency,” he said.
He added, “Then, I told him that I have heard that something is going on in your constituency, and I’m in Hwidiem. And he said that ‘if you are in my constituency, kindly check what is happening there and let me know the people who have come on an operation there.’”
He said that he did as he was told and went to speak to the NAIMOS officers, and upon meeting them, he introduced himself to them because that was the first time he was seeing them.
He said that after introducing himself, he gave the phone to the leader of the NAIMOS officers to speak to Collins Dauda.
“As we were there, I saw that a lot of people were trooping in, and there was a likelihood that things would escalate. So, we moved to the police station, and when we got there, the road was blocked. So, myself, the military, and the police were all locked up in the police station.”
About the attack:
According to a report by Erastus Asare Donkor, ten military officers who are members of NAIMOS, led by their Director of Operations, conducted an operation in the Ahafo Region on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
He indicated that while on their operation, the NAIMOS Director received information that an excavator was actively being used for mining along the roadside near Branikrom, prompting the team to move to the area and arrest the illegal miners, including a Burkinabe national.
Erastus Asare Donkor further stated that the NAIMOS team demanded the presence of the site owner at the location where the mining was being carried out.
He added that an individual later arrived, identifying himself as a Defence Intelligence (DI) representative from the Ahafo Region, followed by another person who reportedly claimed to be the site owner.
A search conducted by the NAIMOS team at the site led to the discovery of ammunition of various kinds, as well as cash and mobile phones.
BAI/
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