Aowin, Western North Region – The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Aowin, Hon. Stephen Ntow Morcher, has strongly denied allegations linking him to galamsey activities, describing them as politically motivated attempts to soil his hard-earned reputation.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Times newspaper, Hon. Ntow Morcher accused the Member of Parliament for the Aowin Constituency, Hon. Oscar Ofori Larbi, of orchestrating a deliberate smear campaign using what he described as a “fake taskforce” to mislead the public.
Abdela Rufus Dadzie
(MP’s boy)
According to the MCE, the MP is hiding behind a so-called anti-galamsey taskforce to undermine his leadership and achievements in the municipality.
> “The MP is trying to destroy my image by linking me to galamsey activities I have no part in. This is not about fighting illegal mining; it is about sabotaging my work and leadership,” he stated.
Hon. Ntow Morcher revealed that on the said day, he received information that a team claiming to be from NAIMOS was conducting operations in parts of the municipality. He said he became suspicious and later confirmed that the group was not a legitimate state taskforce.
He explained that the group was roaming mining areas and extorting money from miners under false pretenses—an act he alleged had previously resulted in the deaths of two people.
Upon receiving the information, the MCE said he immediately contacted the police for intervention but was informed by the police commander that all personnel had been deployed to nearby communities, including Boinso, to handle another security situation.
Clement Ohene Asare (MP’s boy)
With no police officers available, Hon. Ntow Morcher said he deployed military personnel to stop the unlawful activities of the MP’s alleged fake taskforce and to protect residents from harassment and extortion.
Since the military officers were unfamiliar with the exact location, he personally instructed his personal assistant and driver to guide them to the scene.
Upon arrival, the fake taskforce reportedly confronted the officers, a situation that sparked tension and further confirmed that the group was operating illegally.
> “I have credible information that the MP’s so-called taskforce has been moving from one mining site to another, extorting money from miners while claiming they are from NAIMOS,” the MCE reiterated.
The MCE further alleged that the MP’s actions are driven by political insecurity ahead of the 2028 elections, claiming the MP fears he may contest and unseat him.
He added that the MP’s growing unpopularity in the Aowin Constituency, which led to a loss of over 10,000 votes to the NDC in the last presidential election, has pushed him to adopt desperate tactics that will not win him votes in 2028.
Hon. Ntow Morcher called on the public to disregard videos and claims circulating on social media linking him to galamsey, describing them as propaganda aimed at misleading residents.
He stressed that the periodic deployment of military personnel is a standard government approach to combating illegal mining and should not be politicized.
On his part, the Western North Regional Minister, Hon. Wilbert Petty Brentum, said during the President’s “Thank You Tour” to the region that he condemned all forms of illegality and cautioned against the use of unlawful operations and extortion in the name of fighting galamsey.
The Regional Minister noted that the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) is performing effectively and achieving positive results in the fight against illegal mining, stressing that the creation of any illegal taskforce not constituted by law will not be tolerated.
> “We cannot use illegality to fight illegality,” Hon. Brentum emphasized.
Hon. Ntow Morcher reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the environment and delivering development to the people of Aowin, assuring residents that the law will take its full course.
He added that the police commander has since briefed the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) on the arrest of members of the fake taskforce, bringing the matter under official investigation.
