Ken Ashigbey backs independent probe into NAIMOS-Manso Keniago clash

The Convenor of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, has backed calls for an independent investigation into the clash between personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and residents of Manso Keniago in the Ashanti Region.

He says the inquiry must establish what triggered the confrontation, identify the owner of the excavator at the centre of the disagreement and determine why some residents resisted its movement.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, November 14, Ing. Ashigbey said an independent investigation was necessary to establish the facts and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent a recurrence.

"I also associate myself very clearly with their call for an independent investigation. That is very important, but it is important as we do that investigation to find out who the owner of this excavator is," he said.

He suggested that the ownership of the equipment could be an important part of the inquiry, particularly amid questions about whether influential individuals in the community had an interest in preventing its removal.

Ing. Ashigbey also urged investigators to examine physical evidence at the scene, including marks left on the ground, to reconstruct the sequence of events.

He questioned whether the NAIMOS team was indeed attempting to move the excavator onto a low-bed trailer when residents intervened.

"Is it true that excavator belongs to some influential people in the community, and it is the fact that they did not want the excavator moved? Is that what started all of this?" he asked.

The incident occurred on November 11, when a NAIMOS task force was transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation to a designated location for safekeeping.

The confrontation reportedly followed disagreements over the route being used to transport the equipment, with some residents and traditional authorities objecting to the decision to move the excavators through the community along a tarred road.

The situation escalated when an armed group reportedly resisted the movement of the machinery, prompting NAIMOS personnel to fire warning shots. The Secretariat said the shots were intended to disperse the crowd and prevent further escalation.

Although he called for a thorough investigation, Ing. Ashigbey said he did not support the loss of life in the confrontation.

"I don't associate myself with death or killing of anybody in this," he said.

However, he warned that the growing tendency for residents to threaten officials and security personnel involved in anti-illegal mining operations posed a serious risk to the country's efforts to combat illegal mining.

He described the officers as the country's last line of defence against the activities of illegal miners and cautioned that attacks on them could encourage similar incidents elsewhere.

"But there's one thing that is happening that is drawing us very close to carnage. It is this tendency for people to threaten the NAIMOS officials and security operators who go to do these things. And you see, this is our very last line of defence," he said.

He warned that allowing such confrontations to continue could embolden others to resist anti-illegal mining operations.

"If we lose that line of defence, that last line of defence, what you are going to see is a lot of copycats of these things happening," he added.

Ing. Ashigbey said establishing the circumstances surrounding the Manso Keniago incident was therefore critical to ensuring accountability and introducing measures to prevent similar confrontations.

He also welcomed indications that NAIMOS was considering using body cameras to document its operations, describing the move as a step toward improving transparency and accountability.

However, he argued that drone footage should also be used during confrontations and not restricted to enforcement activities.

He said aerial recordings could provide evidence to help investigators establish what happened when officers encountered resistance during operations.

Ing. Ashigbey said proper documentation of such incidents would protect both enforcement personnel and the public and ensure any misconduct could be investigated.

Six people have died, whereas two NAIMOS officers who were injured have been treated and discharged. Meanwhile the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry says it has commenced an investigation into the matter.