The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has condemned a violent mob attack on a team from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, November 1, 2025, involved a group of angry youth and suspected illegal miners who reportedly assaulted members of the NAIMOS team, destroyed an operational vehicle, and disrupted their operation in the area.
Eyewitnesses said the NAIMOS team had gone to Hwidiem on a reconnaissance mission after receiving reports of illegal mining activities.
The situation turned chaotic when the team attempted to arrest some suspects, leading to a violent confrontation.
In a statement issued in Accra on Monday, November 3, 2025, and signed by GNASSM’s General Secretary, Godwin Nickleson Amarh, the association described the attack as “unfortunate and unacceptable.”
“We cannot stress enough that NAIMOS operates as a legitimate state institution, and its officers should not be targeted while discharging their lawful duties,” the statement said.
GNASSM also drew attention to the 2017 incident involving the lynching of Major Maxwell Mahama, warning that such acts of lawlessness must never be repeated.
“We urge the youth in all mining communities to channel their grievances or concerns regarding NAIMOS’s activities through local leadership and proper legal channels,” the association advised.
For the past month, GNASSM has been collaborating with NAIMOS to educate small-scale miners about the task force’s operations and to promote peaceful coexistence between miners and security agencies.
Expressing deep concern over the latest incident, GNASSM called on the government to immediately investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Such measures will serve as a deterrent to others who may consider taking similar lawless actions,” the statement emphasised.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government’s ongoing fight against illegal mining — known locally as galamsey — while ensuring that legitimate small-scale mining activities are conducted responsibly and within the law.
