Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare has said that there are still some issues to address, despite the response of the Asutifi North Member of Parliament, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, who denied the accusation that he incited the youth to attack the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
Prof Asare said that when an MP inserts himself into live security operations, confusion follows and discipline suffers.
In Hwidiem, he said, the public deserves clear answers, not cloudy statements.
“I don’t understand the MP. Why call Hon. Collins Dauda, who is outside the country, instead of the District Commander or Operation Commander on the ground?
That single act sums up everything wrong with the statement — blurred roles, political shortcuts, and unanswered questions.
Here are the top ten issues that still hang in the air:
- Who authorized the MP to visit a military operation zone and act on behalf of another MP?
- Why call an MP abroad instead of contacting the district or military commander in charge of the operation?
- What exactly was the MP’s role at the scene — observer, mediator, or participant?
- When did the MP arrive and when did he leave, and who can confirm his timeline?
- Who were the “youth” the MP met, and how did they know to expect him?
- What does the MP mean by saying the military’s pickup was “tampered with”? Did he see the tampering? Who did it? If not, how did he conclude that it was tampered with?
- Why were soldiers transported in the Zongo Chief’s private vehicle instead of calling for backup?
- Who smashed that vehicle, and did you witness the attack? What do you mean by the glass was smashed, by then you had left?
- Did you enter the restricted mining area, and if so, on whose authority?
- Why didn’t the MP coordinate with NAIMOS, the police, or regional security command if your goal was to “maintain calm”?
“When MPs insert themselves into live security operations, confusion follows and discipline suffers. In Hwidiem, the public deserves clear answers, not cloudy statements,” he wrote on Facebook.
The Police had invited the MP to assist with with ongoing investigation into the alleged attack. According to the Police, the lawmaker was alleged to have incited the mob and obstructed the NAIMOS team.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters to take over investigations into the matter.
The Police said a statement on Monday, November 3, that preliminary investigation has established that on Saturday, 1st November 2025, the NAIMOS Director and his team intercepted illegal miners operating near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region and arrested some suspects. Exhibits retrieved from them include a side-hang bag containing one Smith & Wesson pistol, two pistol magazines, twenty-one rounds of 9mm ammunition, an unregistered Range Rover vehicle, an unregistered Toyota RAV4 vehicle and several mobile phones.
While the team were preparing to hand over the suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the MP reportedly arrived with a group of men and demanded their release. When his demand was refused, the group forcibly removed the suspects’ handcuffs and chased the NAIMOS team from the scene, the Police said.
A mob numbering about 600, allegedly incited by the MP, later besieged the Hwidiem Police Station, demanding the release of the miners and seized vehicles.
The crowd vandalised the Director’s vehicle, damaged parts of the police station, and threatened to set it ablaze. Reinforcement teams from the Ahafo Regional Command were deployed to restore order and prevent further destruction.
Calm was eventually restored through the joint efforts of the police, the military, and the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem, who helped mediate the situation and facilitate the safe evacuation of the NAIMOS team. The Chief’s vehicle was damaged during the process, but no injuries were reported.
But in a statement responding to this, the Lawmeker said, “I wish to state that under no circumstance will I incite the youth against security officers and any government-planned agenda.
As a responsible lawmaker, I offered my support to ensure there is calmness in the area and will always work together with every security agency to maintain law and order. It is quite unfortunate that the police in their sitrep failed to acknowledge my contribution towards ensuring that calmness prevail.
“I urge the public to disregard the false narratives aimed at tarnishing my reputation and undermining my efforts to serve my constituents.
“As your Member of Parliament, I want to assure you that I remain committed to the welfare and safety of the Ghanaian citizens and other State Institutions.”
Below is his full statement…
OFFICE OF THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
HON. EBENEZER KWAKU ADDO ASUTIFI NORTH CONSTITUENCY
E-Mail: [email protected]
Tel: +233-547631870/053406863
PRESS RELEASE
TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF ASUTIFI NORTH AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC
I am compelled to address the recent unfortunate incident between some residents of Asutifi South and the Military Taskforce deployed on National Assignment (NAIMOS).
Chronology of what transpired:
* On 1st November, 2025, whiles en route to a funeral at Acherensua in the Asutifi South Constituency, I inquired from Hon. Collins Dauda, the MP for the Asutifi South Constituency whether he was available so we could move together
* Hon. Dauda indicated that he is currently not in the country so I could represent him
* Upon reaching Hwidiem I realized there was tension in town so I inquired and was told there was a Military Operations going on at a gold extraction site
* I quickly called back Hon. Dauda to inform him of the development
* He asked me to go to the site to enable him speak with the Team to ascertain what was going on because one of the Assembly members who he sent wasn’t spoke to by the Military team
* Upon reaching the site with my constituency Vice Chairman and driver, I introduced myself to the leader and asked that he speaks to the person on the phone.
* Having arrived at the place I saw some youth at the site whiles others gradually massed up
* The only advise I could give was for us to move to the police station to officially make a statement and subsequently hand over items and suspects to the police to calm tensions
* Upon reaching the police station, it was seen that the major road had been blocked preventing vehicular movement
* Together with the Military, Regional Police Crime Officer, NIB operatives, Kenyasi Police Commander, we all remained in the police charge office whiles statements were being taking
* I went further to call in the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem to assist us in calming the situation and he
came
* Having finalized the handing over of items to the Regional Crime Officer, the Zongo Chief volunteered to pick the Military officers into his Toyota Sequoia vehicle because the pick up
* The Toyota vehicle of the Zongo Chief had its glasses smashed at the back, by then I had left to attend other funerals in Ntotroso,Gyedu and Wamahinso.
I wish to state that under no circumstances will I incite the youth against security officers and any government-planned agenda.
As a responsible lawmaker, I offered my support to ensure there is calmness in the area and will always work together with every security agency to maintain law and order.
It is quite unfortunate that the police in their sitrep failed to acknowledge my contribution towards ensuring that calmness prevail.
I urge the public to disregard the false narratives aimed at tarnishing my reputation and undermining my efforts to serve my constituents.
As your Member of Parliament, I want to assure you that I remain committed to the welfare and safety of the Ghanaian citizens and other State Institutions.
END
SIGNED
EBENEZER KWAKU ADDO (MP)
