Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has led a team of thugs unleash hell on Anti-Galamsey Taskforce after his order for the release was met with opposition.
A report by Erastus Asare Donkor, a renowned journalist who covers stories pertaining to illegal mining, indicated that the NAIMOS Director of Operations, along with military personnel, undertook undercover operations to collect data on illegal mining activities, referred to as galamsey, in the Ahafo Region.
According to Erastus Donkor, the operation was to provide the NAIMOS with adequate information to enable them deploy permanent military personnel to places where the illegal mining activities have taken root.
He further noted that while the NAIMOS Taskforce were traveling along the Goaso to Hwidiem Highway, the attention of the Director was drawn to an excavator that was actively mining along the roadside near Bonikrom.
The team immediately went to the place and halted the ongoing activity resulting in the arrest of several people.
Arrangements were underway to transport the suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station.
However, the Asutifi North MP immediately rushed to the scene with his men believed to be also part of the illegal mining activities in the region and ordered for the release of the suspects. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo claimed that the suspects will have a bad image if the locals see them in handcuffs.
He further confirmed that he was sent by MP for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda.
The Director who was not convinced by his statement refused to release the suspects requesting for the right process to be followed. This infuriated the MP and the thugs aggressively snatched the handcuff keys and released the suspects.
They subsequently attacked the Director and his military men who had to seek protection from the Hwidiem Police Station.
Upon their arrival at the police station to file a complaint and submit the seized items from the suspects, Erastus reported that a crowd of approximately 600 individuals from Hwidiem and surrounding communities beseeched the station and demanded the release of the confiscated vehicles and arrested suspects.
The mob indicated that they will take the laws into their own hands and manhandle the military officers if their demands were not met.
A collaborative decision was reached by the police, the military, and the Zongo Chief to return the keys to the confiscated vehicles, to prevent bloodshed and safeguard lives while restoring peace.
