Ghana: NPP Director Demands Manso Keniago Galamsey Deaths Accountability

• NPP Communications Director Miracles Aboagye called for an investigation into four deaths during a confrontation involving NAIMOS personnel and Manso Keniago residents.
• Aboagye insisted on individual assessments for each fatality, rejecting the collective labeling of victims as illegal miners or a mob.
• Reports indicate some victims, including a woman shot in her bathroom, may not have been involved in the confrontation.
• He stressed that the State holds primary responsibility for citizen safety and must account for these deaths, even during enforcement actions.
• Aboagye emphasized that security personnel must exercise restraint and differentiate between active combatants and innocent bystanders in a crowd.

The State's paramount responsibility lies in ensuring the security, safety, and protection of its citizens, a duty that precedes all other considerations.

Miracles Aboagye, the Communications Director for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for a comprehensive investigation into the deaths of four individuals during a confrontation in Manso Keniago, located in Ghana's Ashanti Region. The incident involved personnel from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and local residents. Aboagye's demand, made during an appearance on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, November 14, highlights the urgent need for clarity surrounding the circumstances of these fatalities.

Initial reports and accounts suggest that not all victims may have been actively involved in the confrontation. Aboagye cited distressing reports, including that of a woman allegedly shot in her bathroom, with camera footage showing bloodstains, and at least two other individuals reportedly shot on the street. These details underscore his concern that some of the deceased might have been innocent bystanders, not participants in any illegal mining activities or a mob.

Aboagye strongly cautioned against the collective labeling of the deceased as illegal miners or members of a hostile crowd. He emphasized that the specific circumstances leading to each death must be independently and thoroughly investigated to ensure justice for the victims and their grieving families. He noted that conflicting narratives from both the community's chief and NAIMOS officials necessitate an impartial inquiry to ascertain the truth.

He articulated that it is unacceptable to group individuals together and attribute their deaths to a single issue without individual assessment. "Whatever the case is, we have lost four citizens that, as we speak now, we are yet to understand clearly why each of them died," Aboagye stated, stressing that every family deserves a clear explanation for the loss of their loved one. This insistence on individual assessment is central to the calls for Ghana Manso Keniago galamsey deaths accountability.

While advising civilians to avoid confronting armed security personnel, Aboagye unequivocally stated that the State bears the primary responsibility for protecting the lives of its citizens, particularly during enforcement operations against illegal mining, or 'galamsey.' He argued that residents should exercise restraint when faced with armed officers, as engaging in such confrontations offers no benefit and carries significant risk. However, this counsel does not diminish the fundamental duty of security personnel or the State to safeguard innocent individuals.

The State's paramount responsibility lies in ensuring the security, safety, and protection of its citizens, a duty that precedes all other considerations. Aboagye further contended that the mere presence of a crowd at a scene does not automatically imply that every individual within it is actively participating in an attack on security forces. Officers, therefore, must exercise judicious restraint and distinguish between those actively confronting them and innocent residents who might have gathered out of curiosity. Even if a single innocent person is present within a gathering, security personnel bear the responsibility to act with moderation and ensure their protection, highlighting the need for precise and proportionate responses in all state-led enforcement actions.

Lawyers should advise clients on the state's responsibility for citizen safety during enforcement operations and the potential for legal action in cases of civilian fatalities, particularly when due process and individual assessment of victims are not observed. This incident underscores the importance of monitoring state-led anti-galamsey operations for human rights compliance and potential liabilities arising from excessive force or negligence.

Source: Original reporting via Clara Seshie