Manso Keniago Residents Accuse NAIMOS Officers of Assaulting Chief, Shooting at His Vehicle
Story by: Regina Bless
Chiefs and residents of Manso Keniago in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region have accused personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) of assaulting one of their chiefs and firing gunshots at his vehicle during a confrontation in the community.
The allegations present a different account of the incident, which also left two NAIMOS personnel with gunshot injuries.
In an earlier explanation, NAIMOS said its task force encountered an armed group while transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation to another location.
The Secretariat indicated that its officers fired warning shots to disperse the group but two personnel sustained gunshot wounds. However, it did not disclose who fired the shots that injured the officers.
The community has disputed this account, insisting that the excavator being transported was not seized from Manso Keniago.
In a statement signed by the community’s Krontihene, Nana Boateng, and Youth Representative, Bernard Ntiamoah, the chiefs and residents explained that the disagreement started when their chief and some residents questioned the movement of the excavator through the town.
They reportedly raised concerns about the transportation of the heavy machinery along a tarred government road, fearing that it could cause damage to the road.
The community further alleged that the confrontation escalated into physical violence, with one of their chiefs allegedly assaulted and gunshots fired at his vehicle.
The residents described the alleged treatment of their chief as disturbing and maintained that their concerns were about protecting public infrastructure rather than obstructing the fight against illegal mining.
They stressed that they support the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, but would not accept what they consider the unlawful use of force against innocent residents.
The chiefs and residents are therefore appealing to President John Dramani Mahama, the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter.
They are calling for an independent investigation to establish what happened, medical assistance for those injured and justice for the alleged victims.
The conflicting accounts have raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the confrontation, with calls for an impartial investigation to establish responsibility and ensure accountability.
As investigations are called for, the allegations made by the community and the account provided by NAIMOS remain to be independently established.