The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has strongly condemned the violent assault on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) taskforce at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region, describing the incident as a direct attack on the state’s fight against illegal mining.
In a statement dated Monday, November 3, 2025, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the government would not tolerate any act of violence that undermines national efforts to protect the environment.
He stated that the Ministry had “taken note of the recent attack on some members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) during an operation at Bronikrom near Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region” and “strongly condemns the incident, which occurred on Saturday, 1st November 2025.”
Mr. Buah explained that after receiving a full briefing on the matter, he held meetings with the Speaker of Parliament and the Minister for the Interior to ensure a “swift and rigorous investigation” into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
“This is in line with government’s commitment to bring to book all perpetrators who aid, support, or front the continuous decimation of the environment,” the statement added.
The chaos erupted on Saturday, November 1, 2025, when the NAIMOS team arrested a group of illegal miners operating near Bronikrom. The officers reportedly retrieved firearms, ammunition, two unregistered vehicles, and several mobile phones from the scene.
While the suspects were being transferred to the Hwidiem Police Station, an altercation allegedly ensued after the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, arrived at the scene and confronted the officers.
The situation quickly escalated, leading to a mob attack in which some of the arrested miners were freed, and members of the taskforce were assaulted.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has instructed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters to take over the probe into the attack on the NAIMOS Director of Operations and his team.
Asutifi North MP Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, on the other hand, has denied playing any role in the violence, insisting that he only intervened to calm tensions and assist in handing over the suspects to the police.
Below is a copy of the statement
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
