NPP MP Aspirant and Officials Incite Violence Against Soldiers Amid Galamsey Row

In a stunning development, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) aspirant for the Amenfi East parliamentary seat, together with the Regional Minister and District Chief Executive (DCE), was captured on video urging illegal miners to physically resist soldiers attempting to arrest them in the ongoing crackdown on illegal mining activities.

The video, which has caused uproar, shows the NPP candidate for Amenfi East openly supporting illegal miners and vowing to shield them from enforcement efforts by security forces.

Accompanied by the Western Regional Minister and the District Chief Executive, the aspiring MP boldly pledged support and protection to illegal miners, asserting that soldiers have no authority to apprehend them.

The behavior of the politicians which has sparked shocked has been described as yet another disappointing attempt at people in power to thwart call for government to save Ghana’s land and water resources.

It comes more than a year after Ashanti Regional chairman of the NPP Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias chairman Wontumi’s mining firm Akonta Mines was accused by no mean person than the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor, of illegally invading the Tano Nimli Forest to mine.

Regardless of the monumental evidences provided including videos by the media, plus a petition by some concerned Ghanaians to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police, no action has been taken against the firm till date.

The last time President Akufo-Addo commented on that subject matter, he only said the company was no longer in the forest. When questioned on live radio on Joy FM on what the Attorney General and Minister for Justice was doing about the docket, he said no such information has been sent to his office by the police. In the video, Ernest Frimpong told the illegal miners who clapped and cheered him that, government has disbanded all tasked forces including Operation Halt, Galamstop formed to fight illegal miners in mining areas so now they can mine without being arrested.

The parliamentary aspirant said this during a meeting with the miners in his area. He said as part of the meeting, the details of the miners were going to be taken so that they put them a Whatsup group where any form of harassment by the security agencies will be addressed.

“So we are taking your names and details for the bigger picture. I will create a platform with contracts and I will be on it. I’ll put the MCE on it and the Regional Minister too will be on it.

So, if you have any issue on the sites, just send a voice note to the platform that I’m at Suhyrenso, Asomdwee, and come soldiers have come here to arrest us and take our machines away.

If I am not able to listen at the time, maybe RM [Regional Minister] will do and inform MCE to go and check what is happening there”, he said in the Fante dialect.

Adding “However, if anyone comes and orders you out for the mere purpose that he is a soldier, do not look at the uniform he is wearing. If he hits you, hit him back, fight him and I will come there. Oh yes, we won’t tolerate those things. If he came on a patrol, then he is passing by and that is why we are telling you that we have revoked the authority they had to arrest you. If you are doing illegal mining and he comes to arrest you, he is also perpetuating illegality so arrest him back. You don’t work for the police or military because government pays them for the work they do. Those living close to the sea are fishing so you also have the right to mine gold if you live on gold”.

The minister and DCE were seen laughing and clapping as the aspirant encouraged the miners to retaliate if faced with arrest, asserting that soldiers have no right to apprehend them.

The aspirant boldly declared the revocation of enforcement operations such as ‘Operation Galamstop,’ claiming miners can now continue their activities without fear of arrest.

Expressing solidarity with the miners, he promised to create a platform for reporting security harassment and ensure protection from official interference.

Critics have condemned the politicians’ actions, labeling them as counterproductive to efforts to preserve Ghana’s natural resources.

The incident echoes previous allegations against NPP figures, highlighting a pattern of leniency towards illegal mining activities.

The bold stance taken by the NPP aspirant and officials has raised concerns about the rule of law and accountability within the government, as the authorities seemingly condone unlawful actions in the mining sector.