The Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has denied allegations that he incited residents to attack members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) task force at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
In a statement issued on November 3, 2025, the MP said his presence at the scene was to help restore calm after receiving reports of a tense confrontation between security personnel and some residents.
Mr. Addo explained that he was en route to a funeral at Achrensua when he was informed of military operations at a gold extraction site in Hwidiem. He contacted Asutifi South MP Collins Dauda, who was outside the country, and was asked to represent him to assess the situation.
Upon arrival, he said he advised that suspects and seized items be taken to the police station to prevent escalation. “The only advice I gave was for us to move to the police station to officially make a statement and hand over items and suspects to the police to calm tensions,” he stated.
He added that he later called the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem to assist in calming tempers, after which the chief helped the military move safely when their vehicle was tampered with.
The MP refuted claims that he led a mob to free suspects or attack police property, insisting that he left the scene before the unrest escalated. “Under no circumstance will I incite the youth against security officers or any government-planned agenda,” he said.
Mr. Addo described the reports implicating him as “false narratives aimed at tarnishing my reputation,” stressing his commitment to peace and collaboration with all security agencies.
