The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has dismissed claims that personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) were involved in the shooting death of a young man at Akyem Hemang in the Eastern Region.
The Ministry says individuals who impersonate NAIMOS operatives, sometimes dressed in military uniforms, have become a growing concern and may be responsible for creating confusion about the activities of the anti-illegal mining task force.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, August 28, the Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, said NAIMOS had no officers deployed to Akyem Hemang or its surrounding communities when the incident occurred.
He explained that some people had been presenting themselves as members of the task force despite having no connection with NAIMOS.
“More often than not, a lot of people parade as NAIMOS operatives. It’s one of the challenges that NAIMOS is currently confronted with, where people adorn themselves in military uniforms and identify themselves as NAIMOS personnel,” he said.
His comments come after the reported death of Douglas Acheampong at Akyem Hemang on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
The young man was reportedly shot at about 7 p.m., with initial reports linking the incident to personnel allegedly operating under NAIMOS.
Mr Schandorf, however, strongly rejected the claim, stating that no NAIMOS operation was taking place in the area at the time.
He further stressed that the mandate of NAIMOS does not include taking human lives and therefore urged the public not to automatically associate individuals claiming to be task force members with the Secretariat.
According to him, the presence of impostors poses a serious challenge to the anti-illegal mining campaign because their actions can damage the reputation of genuine NAIMOS personnel and undermine public confidence in the government’s operations.
The Lands Ministry is therefore urging members of the public to exercise caution and distinguish between legitimate NAIMOS personnel and individuals who may be using the name and identity of the task force for other purposes.
The circumstances surrounding the death of Douglas Acheampong remain a matter of concern, while the Ministry maintains that NAIMOS personnel were not responsible for the reported shooting.
