NPP blames NDC for Obuasi mine incident, calls for justice

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has blamed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the current administration led by President John Mahama for the tragic loss of lives at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine on Sunday, January 19, 2025.

The incident, where eight individuals lost their lives and several were injured during a confrontation between illegal miners and military personnel, has sparked a wave of political blame.

At a press conference held in Accra on Thursday, January 23, 2025, the NPP accused the NDC of fostering a culture of lawlessness among its supporters since their victory in the 2024 General Elections. The party issued a 16-point statement detailing their criticisms.

The statement read by the Director of Communications of the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah said: "We called this afternoon to talk about the negligence of the NDC and President John Dramani Mahama that has led to the loss of eleven or more lives at the Anglo Gold Ashanti mines in Obuasi and Newmont in a related violence." 

It criticized President Mahama and the NDC leadership for their "silence" in the face of escalating violence by NDC-affiliated thugs.

The NPP highlighted the NDC's failure to caution their members, stating, "The NDC resorted to violence immediately following the peaceful December 7th general elections, in which it won the presidential and legislative elections." They further accused the NDC of ignoring calls to stop the violence, which intensified post-election, suggesting that the NDC's silence was tantamount to endorsing these actions.

The statement also listed specific instances of violence allegedly committed by NDC supporters, including attacks on various government institutions, which they claim have gone unaddressed by the NDC leadership. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, you remember the many violent attacks that the NDC thugs have visited on Ghanaians who were simply going about their daily chores," the statement noted.

The NPP specifically blamed the NDC for the deaths, stating, "The NDC must take responsibility for the gruesome murder of the 11 people or so who happened to be members of their party. The NDC failed to protect and save the lives of the 11 or so people who were slaughtered painfully in Obuasi because its leadership failed to lead, to caution their thugs against the lawlessness that possessed their party after winning a democratic election."

In a call for action, the NPP urged the Ghana Police Service to investigate thoroughly and ensure justice, warning against any potential cover-ups, "We would like to call on the Ghana Police Service to conduct its investigation and ensure justice is served expeditiously. We also want to warn the police not to engage in any backroom deals with the John Mahama Administration to shield anyone in this matter."

Read statement below.

Press Conference on the Avoidable Bloodshed in Obuasi on January 19th

1. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming to cover this press conference. I’m sorry for the long delay.

2. We called this afternoon to talk about the negligence of the NDC and President John Dramani Mahama that has led to the loss of eleven or more lives at the Anglo Gold Ashanti mines in Obuasi and Newmont in a related violence.

3. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, please let’s observe a 10-second silence in memory of all the NDC members who lost their lives at the AGA Obuasi mines. May their souls rest in peace.  

4. Our sincere condolences to their families and associates. 

5. The NDC resorted to violence immediately following the peaceful December 7th general elections, in which it won the presidential and legislative elections. 

6. The NPP conceded and congratulated President John Dramani Mahama, and the Nana Addo-Bawumia government cooperated with the President-elect’s team to supervise a historic transition on January 7th, 2025.

7. Notwithstanding the NPP’s goodwill and support, the NDC leadership and the President-elect have looked on while their members take the law into their own hands to attack, terrorize, and violate Ghanaians. 

8. The NDC and its grassroots have ignored calls to stop the violence. Instead, the violence intensified. The NDC party was acting as though it was a coup d’état that had brought them to power. They abused and attacked Electoral Commission offices and personnel, police installations, government institutions, and recently, in Obuasi, the Anglo Gold Ashanti, a private company. All of these violent incursions have enjoyed the tacit support of the NDC leadership and President John Dramani Mahama.  

9. Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, you remember the many violent attacks that the NDC thugs have visited on Ghanaians who were simply going about their daily chores. 

10.    It started with attacks on EC offices, destruction of pink sheets and related electoral evidence in constituencies they have lost, and police installations to force declarations in their favor. 

11. NDC thugs attacked the following government institutions after President Mahama took over, but he said nothing and did nothing. I know you recall the siege at the following institutions: 

a.    NDC youth vandalized the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly. 
b. Thugs storm TOR, sacking the employees and locking up the premises. 
c. NDC thugs attacked Cocobod offices 
d. NDC thugs attacked the Ministry of Energy. 
f. NDC thugs burn down police stations in Ejura and Attebubu. 
g. NDC thugs attacked the Eastern Regional offices of the National Health Insurance Authority, National Service Secretariat, School Feeding, TVET, and National Lottery Authority. 

12. There have been many instances of violent conduct by NDC members, with the full knowledge of the party leadership and the President-elect and now President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama. They knew what their party members were doing, but they urged them on with their silence. I am aware of the half-hearted statements they issued, but you know that they were just for the optics. 

13. Ladies and Gentlemen, the NDC must take responsibility for the gruesome murder of the 11 people or so who happened to be members of their party. The NDC failed to protect and save the lives of the 11 or so people who were slaughtered painfully in Obuasi because its leadership failed to lead, to caution their thugs against the lawlessness that possessed their party after winning a democratic election. 
 
14. The silence of President John Mahama and the NDC indeed urged thugs to continue. They felt invincible, untouchable, and unstoppable. The bloodshed in Obuasi could have been avoided had the NDC cautioned their members against the violent rampage after the December 7th elections.  The grassroots of a political party will always take directives from the leadership, no matter what, but on this occasion, the NDC leadership, including President John Dramani Mahama, urged them on silently. It is their inaction that has led to the sad exit of these members of their party. 

15. We would like to call on the Ghana Police Service to conduct its investigation and ensure justice is served expeditiously. We also want to warn the police not to engage in any backroom deals with the John Mahama Administration to shield anyone in this matter. 

16.    We are interested in justice for these NDC members and hope President John Dramani Mahama will not shield or clear anyone. 

17.    Thank you