The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has directed the Clerk of Parliament to provide full cooperation to law enforcement agencies as they investigate an alleged attack on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat (NAIMOS) task force, which is suspected to have been incited by a Member of Parliament.
Delivering his formal communication at the commencement of Tuesday’s parliamentary session, Speaker Bagbin expressed strong concern over reports that a NAIMOS team, part of a government initiative to combat illegal mining (galamsey) was assaulted in the line of duty.
“The reports of attacks on the team from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat a task force which we all know has been established to combat illegal mining in the country are most worrying,” the Speaker stated.
“Also worrying is the fact that the attack is allegedly incited by one of our own the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North Constituency,” the Speaker added.
Speaker Bagbin confirmed that the Asutifi North MP, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has voluntarily submitted himself to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to assist with ongoing investigations.
He noted that this conduct follows the example set by several other MPs who have subjected themselves to police investigations in recent times.
“While I am yet to be fully briefed on the circumstances of the case, I wish to condemn, in no uncertain terms, the attack on the NAIMOS taskforce,” Mr. Bagbin said.
He concluded by assuring Parliament and the public that the House will not shield any of its members from lawful investigation, revealing, “I have instructed the Clerk of Parliament to fully cooperate with the investigative bodies in their probe into the attack on the NAIMOS task force.”
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
