UTAG, anti-galamsey coalition condemn attack on NAIMOS personnel
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey have condemned the attack on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Squad (NAIMOS) and allied security personnel who were conducting lawful operations to protect the environment and public interest at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
The two bodies said they viewed the episode as symptomatic of the entrenched political interference, impunity and elite complicity that continue to undermine national anti-galamsey efforts.
The UTAG and coalition said this in separate statements issued in Accra.
Statement
The UTAG statement was jointly signed by its President, Professor Vera O. Fiador, and Secretary, Dr Samuel Kingsford Seglah, while that of the coalition was initialled by the convenor, Kenneth Ashigbey, and members, including Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, Senyo Hosi and Daryl Bosu.
The incident, UTAG said, which reportedly led to the unlawful release of persons arrested for illegal mining, represents not only an affront to the rule of law but also a direct assault on Ghana’s collective struggle against the destructive galamsey menace.
“Illegal mining has caused irreversible damage to Ghana’s water bodies, degraded vast tracts of arable land, and threatened public health and food security. As academics, researchers, and citizens committed to sustainable national development, we cannot remain silent in the face of this existential threat,” it said.
The association said it was deeply troubling that such an act could emanate from a duty-bearer entrusted with upholding the law and advancing the national interest.
In view of that, the association has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the attack and the subsequent release of suspects, ensuring that justice was served without fear or favour.
Parties
It urged Parliament and political parties to publicly denounce acts that emboldened environmental lawlessness and to demonstrate leadership by example.
UTAG also reaffirmed its national advocacy campaign against galamsey, which mobilised over 7,000 university lecturers and researchers to promote scientific, legal, and civic interventions toward environmental restoration and good governance.
It encouraged citizens, traditional authorities, and civil society organisations to work collaboratively with state agencies to protect Ghana’s remaining ecological assets and ensure accountability.
“The fight against illegal mining is not a partisan contest but a moral and generational duty. UTAG stands firm in its conviction that the survival of our rivers, forests, and communities is inseparable from the survival of the Ghanaian nation itself.”
“We call on all leaders—political, traditional, and institutional—to rise above partisan interests and act decisively in defence of the environment, justice, and national dignity,” the statement said.
Mining
Illegal mining, it said, continued to inflict catastrophic ecological and socio-economic harm and that the country’s rivers were polluted with mercury and heavy metals, forests were degraded, and the livelihoods of present and future generations were under severe threat.
“NAIMOS officers operate under a constitutional mandate to protect the Republic. Any aggression against them is aggression against the State and the collective future of Ghanaian citizens,” it said, adding that political interference in lawful enforcement processes was an unacceptable betrayal of public trust.”
The coalition called on the Office of the President to publicly reaffirm zero tolerance for political interference in anti-galamsey enforcement by issuing a strong national statement condemning violence against enforcement officers and reinforcing the national commitment to eliminating illegal mining.
It said the Office of the President should “Direct a thorough and independent investigation into the attack to ensure a transparent and impartial inquiry into the incident, with findings made public, and with accountability pursued regardless of the political position of any individual involved.”
It recommended that Parliament initiate an internal disciplinary and ethics inquiry into the alleged conduct of the Member of Parliament, adopt a bipartisan resolution condemning attacks on enforcement officers and affirm support for NAIMOS operations.
It supported moves by the security agencies to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of the assault, strengthen security protection for enforcement units in high-risk jurisdictions and encourage civil society organisations (CSOs), media institutions, traditional leaders, religious bodies, and citizens to speak up and not to allow intimidation and impunity to undermine national interest.
