Asutifi North MP breaks silence on Hwidiem military attack

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 obligation to address what he termed “an unfortunate misunderstanding” concerning his involvement in the incident, which has garnered national attention.

Recounting the events, the MP detailed that on November 1, 2025, he was en route to a funeral at Achrensua in the Asutifi South Constituency when he was informed of a volatile situation at Hwidiem involving military personnel executing 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 situation.

Mr. Addo mentioned that upon his arrival at Hwidiem, accompanied by his constituency vice chairman and driver, he introduced himself to the security officers present and urged them to communicate directly with Hon. Dauda via phone.

“At the site, I saw some youth gathering, so I advised that we move to the police station to officially make a statement and hand over any suspects to the police to calm tensions,” he stated.

He further noted that upon reaching the Hwidiem Police Station, they observed 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 stated that he subsequently contacted the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem to help de-escalate the situation, which the chief managed to do successfully.

According to Mr. Addo, the Zongo Chief later offered to transport the military officers in his vehicle after noticing that their pickup truck had been tampered with.

Mr. Addo reiterated his dedication to peace and cooperation with security agencies, emphasising that his intervention was aimed solely at alleviating tension and preventing any escalation.

His clarification comes in response to a police statement claiming that while the NAIMOS team was preparing to transfer suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the Asutifi North MP allegedly arrived at the scene with a group and demanded their release.

When the request was refused, the police reported that a mob forcibly liberated the suspects and drove the NAIMOS team from the area. A crowd of approximately 600 individuals, reportedly incited by the MP, later surrounded the Hwidiem Police Station, insisting on the release of the detained miners.

They allegedly vandalised vehicles, including that of the NAIMOS Director, damaged parts of the police station, and attempted to set the facility on fire.

Find the full statement below.

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