154
A 36-year-old man, Kwame Ayisi, has been confirmed dead, while a chief and six others are receiving treatment at Sefwi Anhwiaso Community Hospital following a shooting incident involving suspected illegal miners at Asawinso “A” in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region.
The incident occurred on Monday, May 17, 2026, when the chief of Sefwi Asawinso “A”, Nana Kwasi Ayim III, together with nine youth from the community, visited the Afao Hill Forest Reserve, where illegal mining activities were said to be taking place.
According to Nana Ayim III, they went to the forest enclave to assess the activities of illegal miners operating in the area and the extent of destruction caused to the forest reserve as part of efforts to fight galamsey in the area.
He told the media that a few weeks before the incident, the Paramount Chief of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, had invited him to his palace to question why he had allowed galamsey activities in his community.
“I engaged the miners in a peaceful discussion and appealed to them to stop the illegal mining activities,” he said.
However, while the group was returning from the site, they were allegedly ambushed by heavily built men believed to be connected to the illegal miners. The attackers reportedly opened fire on the group, leaving several people seriously injured.
The victims, including the chief, were rushed to Anhwiaso Community Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.
The Assembly Member for the Asawinso “A” Electoral Area, Frank Nelson Ackah, confirmed the incident and said the chief and the youth had only gone to inspect the level of destruction caused by the illegal miners in order to inform his overlord.
Tension has been growing in the community following the unprovoked attack on the chief and his team, particularly after the untimely death of Kwame Ayisi, who left behind a wife and four children.
A delegation led by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, Mr. Sebastian Obeng, the Western North Regional Police Command, and a representative from the Anhwiaso Traditional Council visited the chief and other victims at Anhwiaso Community Hospital to assess the extent of the injuries. They later visited the bereaved family to console them.
The delegation assured the family that the perpetrators would be brought to book as a deterrent to others. They also confirmed that one suspect had been arrested and that investigations were underway to trace the whereabouts of the others.
Our investigations have revealed that some chiefs and residents who are willing to report galamsey activities in their communities are now living in fear following the attack on the Asawinso chief.
Reports indicate that Sefwi Chine, Ntakam, Aboabo, Asawinso, and Nketiaso are among the areas most prone to galamsey. Residents in these communities have appealed to the government to deploy NAIMOS to come to their aid.
