Attack on NAIMOS: I won’t shield any MP from the due process of the law – Speaker Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has said that he will not shield any lawmaker from being held accountable for his or her actions.

He made the point that the fact that the lawmakers hold positions and enjoy privileges does not mean they are above the law.

Briefing the House on the invitation extended to the Member of Parliament for Asutifit North Ebenezer Kwaku Addo by the Police following his alleged attack on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Speaker Bagbin said, “This is a formal communication on a reported attack on a team of national NAIMOS; it is not a formal communication on privileges and immunities. Honourable, he is being investigated; he has not been convicted.

“We just want to erase the perception that members are always being shielded from the due process of the law, you all know we have never done that, it is just that because you hold some positions, the fact that you enjoy a protection doesn’t mean you are above the law. That is what I want to expatiate on and clarify, that the Speaker is always protecting MPs from the due process of the law.”

The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, also said that lawmakers are not above the law, hence they will always submit themselves to the due process of the law if need be.

He made the point that parliament passed the laws, setting up the security agencies and even the appropriations to finance their operations. To that end, he said, lawmakers know that the security agencies play a vital role in Ghana.

Commenting on the invitation extended to the Asutifi North lawmaker Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, Mahama Ayariga said in Parliament on Tuesday, November 4, that “The law enforcement agencies are seeking to establish and investigate whether, indeed, a crime has been committed for the purposes of being prosecuted or held accountable in any form or shape.

“You all heard in the media that there was an attack on NAIMOS in Asutifo North, and I later got some indication that a member on this side of the house is alleged to have instigated some community members to resist the work of the task force. Mr Speaker, let me indicate that yesterday I got a call from the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka, that the IGP needed the member for interrogation. I invited the member, he came to my office, and I tried to reach Muntaka, but I couldn’t reach him, so ultimately I asked the member to go. If I reach Muntaka, I will call him back. Subsequently, Muntaka called me back, and I told him I had invited the MP, and he was ready to come and see whoever he should see.

“So we scheduled that this morning, the member should be sent to the CID headquarters to meet with one of the deputy directors for processes. So this morning he went with our Majority Chief whip and his lawyer, they received him at at CID headquarters, took him through the processes. I received a call not quite long ago that he had been taken to court. As we speak, he is in court being arraigned,” he said.

He added “Let me also indicate that as MPs we don’t consider ourselves being above the law, that we are always ready to be accountable for our actions and inaction. . we passed the law establishing the law enforcement agencies, we approve the appropriations to finance them to carry out these assignments that we have assigned them, we passed the laws defining the crimes, we invite them to this house and we often hold them accountable so we as members of parliament will not in anyway go out of our way to hamper the law enforcements agencies in the discharge of their duties.

“At any time any of us is alleged to have committed an offence, we will own up and we will be ready to defend ourselves and establish our innocence. What I do know is that the member has flatly denied the allegation that he instigated community members against the law enforcement agencies.”

Earlier, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo denied the accusation that he incited the youth to attack the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.

The Police had invited him to assist with with ongoing investigation into the alleged attack. According to the Police, the lawmaker was alleged to have incited the mob and obstructed the NAIMOS team.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters to take over investigations into the matter.

The Police said a statement on Monday, November 3, that preliminary investigation has established that on Saturday, 1st November 2025, the NAIMOS Director and his team intercepted illegal miners operating near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region and arrested some suspects. Exhibits retrieved from them include a side-hang bag containing one Smith & Wesson pistol, two pistol magazines, twenty-one rounds of 9mm ammunition, an unregistered Range Rover vehicle, an unregistered Toyota RAV4 vehicle and several mobile phones.

While the team were preparing to hand over the suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the MP reportedly arrived with a group of men and demanded their release. When his demand was refused, the group forcibly removed the suspects’ handcuffs and chased the NAIMOS team from the scene, the Police said.

A mob numbering about 600, allegedly incited by the MP, later besieged the Hwidiem Police Station, demanding the release of the miners and seized vehicles.

The crowd vandalised the Director’s vehicle, damaged parts of the police station, and threatened to set it ablaze. Reinforcement teams from the Ahafo Regional Command were deployed to restore order and prevent further destruction.

Calm was eventually restored through the joint efforts of the police, the military, and the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem, who helped mediate the situation and facilitate the safe evacuation of the NAIMOS team. The Chief’s vehicle was damaged during the process, but no injuries were reported.

But in a statement responding to this, the Lawmeker said, “I wish to state that under no circumstance will I incite the youth against security officers and any government-planned agenda.

As a responsible lawmaker, I offered my support to ensure there is calmness in the area and will always work together with every security agency to maintain law and order. It is quite unfortunate that the police in their sitrep failed to acknowledge my contribution towards ensuring that calmness prevail.

“I urge the public to disregard the false narratives aimed at tarnishing my reputation and undermining my efforts to serve my constituents.

“As your Member of Parliament, I want to assure you that I remain committed to the welfare and safety of the Ghanaian citizens and other State Institutions.”