BPS demands arrest of Asutifi North MP over attack on NAIMOS task force
The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) is demanding the arrest and investigation of Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, along with his purported accomplices, following a violent assault on officers from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Bronikrom, situated near Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
In a statement released on Monday, November 3, 2025, the Bureau characterised the incident, which involved the attack on the NAIMOS Director of Operations and his team, as a “clear obstruction of law enforcement officers in the discharge of their lawful duties” and condemned it in the strongest possible terms.
The BPS stated that the MP allegedly orchestrated a group of thugs who assaulted the task force during an anti-galamsey operation. The attack reportedly resulted in property damage and posed a threat to the lives of public officials and military personnel on duty.
The Bureau is demanding:
-
Immediate arrest and interrogation of Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo and all individuals involved in the attack.
-
A full-scale investigation by the Ghana Police Service, with support from the Ghana Armed Forces, into the role of the MP and the handling of the incident at the Hwidiem Police Station.
-
Protective measures for NAIMOS officers, soldiers, and witnesses to ensure their safety and cooperation during investigations.
-
A Parliamentary inquiry to determine disciplinary or criminal sanctions if the MP is found to have interfered with law enforcement operations.
-
Strengthening of operational security protocols for all anti-illegal mining task forces.
“The Bureau reiterates that no individual, regardless of political office or influence, is above the law,” the statement said. “Attacks on law enforcement personnel undermine national security, embolden criminal networks, and threaten the fight against illegal mining, a menace destroying Ghana’s water bodies, forests, and livelihoods”.
This statement comes in response to reports indicating that police in Hwidiem were required to rescue a group of military personnel from NAIMOS after a mob attacked them during an anti-galamsey operation.
Previously, the soldiers had apprehended two suspected illegal miners and confiscated vehicles and weapons at a mining location approximately 10 metres from the Hwidiem–Goaso Highway.
Numerous individuals, including a national from Burkina Faso, were detained, and the site, which exhibited evidence of severe land degradation and water contamination, was subsequently closed off.
Order has since been restored in the region, while the detained miners remain in custody to assist with ongoing investigations.
The Bureau of Public Safety stated that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and may appeal to the Speaker of Parliament and the Inspector-General of Police to ensure justice and accountability regarding this issue.
