On Saturday, November 1, 2025, the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), accompanied by ten (10) soldiers, conducted a reconnaissance mission in the Ahafo Region. The objective was to identify a suitable location for the permanent deployment of a NAIMOS field task force in line with the Secretariat’s strategic plan to sustain anti-illegal mining operations.
While travelling along the Goaso to Hwidiem highway, the Director’s attention was drawn to an excavator engaged in mining along the roadside near Bronikrom. The team diverted to the location and apprehended several individuals actively mining. The Director instructed the suspects to refill the pits they had dug to prevent further environmental degradation.
The Director then ordered one of the arrested persons to call the site owner. The first individual to arrive identified himself as a Defence Intelligence (DI) representative from the Ahafo Region. Shortly after, an individual named Alex arrived in a Toyota RAV4, arrogantly claiming ownership of the site. Another man arrived later in a Range Rover and was also arrested. While at it, the Naimos field task force set ablaze shelters used as offices and shelters by the illegal miners.
A search of the suspects’ vehicles led to a shocking discovery. The team found one (1) Smith and Wesson pistol, two (2) pistol magazines and twenty-one (21) rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition, twelve (12) assorted mobile phones, a black side bag, cash amounting to eleven thousand (11,000) Ghana cedis, one power bank, and a Lexus ignition key.
While arrangements were being made to convey the suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, arrived at the scene with several thugs. The MP indicated that he was sent by Hon Collins Dauda, MP for the area and demanded that the Director releases the arrested kingpins including a Burkinabe immediately and remove their handcuffs, arguing that he did not want the locals to see them in handcuffs. The Director politely declined the unlawful request, maintaining that the arrests were appropriate and that the right procedure be followed through to the Police.
Ebenezer Kwaku Addo,
Subsequently, the MP and the thugs became violent and forcefully snatched the handcuffs keys from one of the soldiers and took the handcuffs off the kingpins before chasing the NAIMOS team whiles going to the police station.
Upon arrival at the Hwidiem Police Station to lodge a report and hand over the suspects and exhibits, a crowd of about six hundred (600) people from Hwidiem and nearby communities surrounded the station. The mob, incited by Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, demanded the immediate release of the arrested suspects and seized vehicles. They warned that they would “discipline” the soldiers if their demands were ignored.
The situation quickly turned more violent. The Director of Operations’ Toyota Hilux pickup was vandalized, and the mob threatened to burn down the police station, even when the MP was reminded to call his mob to order. The tense standoff created a serious threat to life and property, placing immense pressure on both the Director of Operations and the police officers on duty.
Responding to a distress call, Chief Superintendent Prince Odom-Koduah, the Ahafo Regional Crime Officer, led a fifteen (15) member Regional Task Force, headed by Inspector Ofosu, to reinforce the local police. They were supported by Superintendent John Atanga, Divisional Commander for Goaso, Superintendent Opoku Yamoah, District Commander for Kenyase, and other senior officers.
Even with the reinforcements, the atmosphere remained extremely volatile. The Zongo Chief of Hwidiem, Alhaji Mohammed Bashiru Zarikyi, stepped in and appealed to the crowd to remain calm. However, as night approached and power went out, tensions heightened further.
To prevent bloodshed and protect lives, a joint decision was made by the police, the military, and the Zongo Chief to release the keys to the seized vehicles in order to calm the crowd. The Zongo Chief then offered his Toyota Sequoia 4×4 to evacuate Colonel Buah, the Director of Operations, and his officers to safety at the Newmont Site in Kenyase under police escort. During the evacuation, the soldiers were physically attacked and the Chief’s vehicle’s rear windscreen was shattered. Thankfully, no injuries were recorded.
The Director of Operations described the MPs’ actions to influence the release of the suspects as unfortunate and a serious obstruction of NAIMOS operations and emphasized that the fight against illegal mining requires all citizens, especially influential figures in the society, to act on the side of the law, not to shield offenders or incite rogues to obstruct justice as happened at Hwidiem.
Meanwhile, the NAIMOS officials including the Director were all safely escorted out of the chaotic situation unharmed due the professional and tactful management of the crisis by the Director and the Hwidiem/Ahafo Police.
NAIMOS remains poised despite the unfortunate incident and warns all galamseyers to desist from any such acts in the future. The Director of Operations reiterated that the effort to combat illegal mining will continue regardless to help clean Ghana’s waters and forest as well as restore sanity in the mining space.
From Erastus Asare Donkor/ Gifty Boateng