Former Obuasi East MP criticises takeover of Northern Ashanti Mine by Minerals Commission

A former Member of Parliament for Obuasi East, Mr Edward Enin, has condemned what he described as forceful takeover of Ashanti Mines Limited by officials of the Minerals Commission in the company of military officials.

He described the action as undemocratic.

On Thursday, October 22, 2026, officials of Minerals Commission accompanied by military, police, and NAIMOS (National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat) reportedly stormed the concession at dawn and ordered staff and workers to vacate offices and residential accommodation

Speaking in an interview on October 26 in Accra, Mr Enin said even if the company had violated the law, seizure could have been done in a better way.

"Northern Ashanti Mines is an indigenous company and so even if you feel they have done things that do not conform with the law, you don't just take over the mines with the military. We are in a democracy and I don't think even a coup d'état country would do that to its citizen," the former Obuasi East MP fumed.

The former MP explained that two of his nephews worked at the mine and that their account of the takeover was scary.

They said the military gave the workers one hour to remove their belongings and that they had to hire a KIA truck to retrieve their valuables from the mine.

"What surprises me is that Nguvu Mining owns the Northern Ashanti Mines, so after government gave the company a reprieve, one would have thought that the Minerals Commission would allow Northern Ashanti to correct the wrongs.

"The President must intervene. I hear he is out of the country, but Mahama that I know won't support this lawlessness," he added.

Mr Enin expressed worry about how Ghanaian authorities fail to support their own, maintaining that this would not happen in Nigeria.

"Nigerians defend their own and protect their own no matter the circumstances.

Mr Enin therefore appealed to the President to intervene and reverse what he termed a lawless decision, just as he did in the case of Adamus.

Meanwhile, Northern Ashanti Mines Limited has filed an interlocutory injunction against the Minerals Commission of Ghana, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and the Attorney General, asking the High Court to stop the three respondents from forcibly taking over its US$110 million mine in Konongo, Ashanti Region.

The court action was filed on 22 October 2026 at the registry of the Commercial Division of the High Court, and the motion is expected to be moved by the solicitors of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, VINT & ALETHEIA PRUC, led by Erasmus Papa Akotey Quartey, on Thursday, 29 October 2026.

The Applicant, Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, is essentially seeking four reliefs. It is asking the court to prevent personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), the Ghana Police Service, or any other security agency, and any person or company claiming any interest from or through them, from:

First, entering upon, seizing, taking over, occupying, or in any manner interfering with the Applicant's possession, operations, staff, equipment, facilities, records and property at the contiguous Konongo Mining Lease area held by the Applicant in the Asante Akim District of the Ashanti Region.

Second, deploying, or causing, requesting, authorising or permitting the deployment of military or other security personnel to the said areas, or any part thereof, for the purpose of taking over the Applicant's mines or of enforcing or giving effect to the purported termination of the Applicant's mining lease contained in the letter of the 1st Respondent dated 30th April 2026.

Third, granting, re-granting, allocating, re-allocating, assigning, transferring or otherwise dealing with any mineral right over the Konongo area, or any part thereof, in favour of any third party, whether Ghanaian or foreign, including processing, approving, or concluding any application for a mineral right over the said area referred to in the letter of the Asante Akim North Municipal Assembly dated 18th August 2026.

Lastly, taking any further step whatsoever to implement, enforce or give effect to the said letter dated 30th April 2026, pending the final determination of the application for judicial review filed on 21 October 2026, and for such further or other order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit.

In a related development, Northern Ashanti Mines Limited has also filed an application for judicial review at the High Court in Accra, challenging the termination of its mining lease covering the Konongo area in the Ashanti Region.

The judicial review application, directed at the Minerals Commission, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and the Attorney-General, seeks to have the decision to terminate the company's lease declared unlawful and quashed.

The court documents, sighted by the media, identify a letter dated 30 April 2026, signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, as the instrument communicating the termination.

The company argues that the decision was taken without lawful authority and in breach of mandatory procedures under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2176).

Source: PR Unit of Northern Ashanti Mines