The Member of Parliament representing Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has provided clarification regarding his participation in the recent altercation between the residents of his constituency and members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) task force at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
In a statement released on November 3, 2025, Mr. Addo expressed his need to address what he termed “an unfortunate misunderstanding” concerning his involvement in the incident, which has garnered national attention.
Describing the sequence of events, the MP recounted that on November 1, 2025, while en route to a funeral at Achrensua in the Asutifi South Constituency, he was informed of a volatile situation at Hwidiem involving military personnel engaged in operations at a gold extraction site.
He stated that he promptly reached out to the MP for Asutifi South, Hon. Collins Dauda, who was abroad at that moment, and was requested to visit the site on his behalf to assess the circumstances.
Mr. Addo mentioned that upon his arrival at Hwidiem, accompanied by his constituency vice chairman and driver, he introduced himself to the security personnel present and urged them to communicate directly with Hon. Dauda via phone.
“At the site, I observed a gathering of youth, so I recommended that we proceed to the police station to formally file a statement and hand over any suspects to the police in order to alleviate tensions,” he stated.
He further noted that upon reaching the Hwidiem Police Station, they discovered that the main road had been obstructed, hindering vehicle movement. Alongside officials from the military, police, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and other local security leaders, they remained at the police charge office while statements were recorded.
The MP indicated that he later contacted the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem to help de-escalate the situation, which the chief successfully accomplished. According to Mr. Addo, the Zongo Chief subsequently offered to transport the military officers in his vehicle after noticing that their pickup truck had been compromised.
Mr. Addo reiterated his dedication to peace and cooperation with security agencies, emphasizing that his involvement was solely aimed at alleviating tension and averting any escalation.
His clarification comes in response to a police statement that claimed while the NAIMOS team was in the process of transferring suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the Asutifi North MP allegedly arrived with a group and insisted on their release.
When the request was refused, the police reported that a mob forcefully liberated the suspects and drove the NAIMOS team away from the location. A crowd of approximately 600 individuals, reportedly incited by the MP, subsequently surrounded the Hwidiem Police Station, demanding the release of the detained miners.
They allegedly vandalized vehicles, including that of the NAIMOS Director, caused damage to parts of the police station, and attempted to set the facility on fire.
