Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene has urged the government to reconsider the operational methods of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS). His comments follow a deadly confrontation between NAIMOS personnel and residents of Manso Keniago in the Ashanti Region on November 11, 2026, which reportedly left six people dead and 15 others injured. Dr. Amoakohene expressed concern about the use of lethal force in anti-illegal mining operations.
The Regional Minister argued that some political actors were pushing for such an approach while exploiting the resulting casualties for political advantage. He stated that they would push for a fight against galamsey with lethal force, then turn around to make political gains out of it. Dr. Amoakohene also questioned demands for a tougher response to illegal mining, including calls for the declaration of a state of emergency.
Dr. Amoakohene maintained that NAIMOS needed to reassess its approach to avoid undermining the government’s campaign against illegal mining and creating political difficulties for the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC). He added that NAIMOS and their operations must be reviewed before they send NDC back to opposition. The minister also expressed agreement with concerns previously raised by former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and Dr. Ayew Afriyie regarding the government’s handling of the anti-galamsey campaign.
The Manso Keniago incident occurred when NAIMOS operatives transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation reportedly encountered resistance from residents. The Secretariat has maintained that its personnel acted in self-defence after an armed group attempted to prevent the movement of the seized equipment. However, residents and traditional authorities have challenged aspects of the account.
The New Patriotic Party’s Director of Communications, Miracles Aboagye, demanded accountability over the deaths recorded during the Manso Keniago incident. Mr. Aboagye called for an independent and thorough examination of each death, insisting that the victims should not automatically be labelled as illegal miners or members of the group that allegedly confronted the task force.
Dr. Amoakohene encouraged social media users to share a video of Dr. Opoku Prempeh and Dr. Ayew Afriyie’s comments. The minister’s remarks came after a Facebook post on Saturday, November 14, where he expressed concern about the handling of the galamsey fight. His comments have sparked a conversation about the government’s approach to addressing illegal mining in Ghana.
The incident has raised concerns about the use of force in anti-illegal mining operations and the need for a review of NAIMOS operations. Key stakeholders are calling for a thorough examination of the incident and the implementation of more effective strategies to address the issue of galamsey in Ghana.
Key points
- Dr. Frank Amoakohene urges review of NAIMOS operations.
- Deadly confrontation in Manso Keniago leaves six dead and 15 injured.
- Concerns raised about use of lethal force in anti-illegal mining operations.
