BY Issah Olegor
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has firmly rejected any suggestion that Parliament will shield Members of Parliament implicated in the recent attack on personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwediem in the Ahafo Region.
His statement follows mounting public pressure after the arrest and arraignment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, who stands accused of leading an assault on anti-galamsey operatives.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Bagbin stated unequivocally that no lawmaker, regardless of political affiliation, will be protected from due process.
“There are several Members of Parliament currently under investigation, and my office has never shielded any of them,” the Speaker stressed.
“Many have voluntarily appeared before investigative bodies without even notifying my office. It must not be said anywhere that Parliament is a refuge for wrongdoing.”
The controversy stems from an incident on Saturday, November 1, 2025, when NAIMOS officials came under attack during an anti-illegal mining operation at Bronikrom near Hwediem.
The task force, operating under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, was carrying out a sanctioned raid to clamp down on illegal miners when a group of irate youth allegedly resisted the operation, leading to violence.
Vehicles belonging to the task force were vandalized, and several officers sustained injuries.
Following preliminary investigations, police reports linked the Asutifi North MP, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, to the disturbances.
He was accused of obstructing the NAIMOS operation and allegedly inciting local youth against the task force.
The legislator, however, denied any wrongdoing, claiming he had only intervened to de-escalate tensions between the task force and community members.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga confirmed to Parliament that the embattled MP had been charged and appeared before court after presenting himself to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the company of his lawyer and the Majority Chief Whip.
Ayariga emphasized that while Members of Parliament enjoy certain privileges, they are equally subject to the laws of Ghana.
In response to the unfolding events, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, issued a statement condemning the attack on NAIMOS personnel and called for swift investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protect state officials involved in the national anti-galamsey campaign, stressing that illegal mining continues to pose a major threat to Ghana’s environment and water bodies.
Meanwhile, Speaker Bagbin has urged the Ghana Police Service to respect parliamentary privileges during investigations, particularly when the House is in session, but cautioned that such privileges are not a shield for impunity.
“These privileges are not absolute. They must be exercised responsibly and within the bounds of the law,” he added.
The case against the Asutifi North MP marks one of the first high-profile prosecutions of a sitting lawmaker under the new anti-illegal mining enforcement framework.
It also tests Parliament’s resolve to balance the constitutional privileges of legislators with public accountability in the fight against galamsey, a menace that has strained relations between local communities, law enforcement, and political actors across Ghana.
