A deadly raid by armed soldiers at the Narawa Mining Company concession in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region has left a 28-year-old man dead, two other persons with gunshot injuries, dozens of workers fleeing the concession, and senior management living in fear.
Narawa Mining Company alleged that the armed men stormed its concession and offices, forcibly took control of the facility and claimed that their operation had been sanctioned from the presidency.
In the melee, a company security officer and a police officer were also reportedly injured in the incident and were taken to a health facility for treatment.
The company has further alleged that persons involved in the takeover claimed to be acting on orders connected to the Presidency, although it says no official document from the Minerals Commission, Lands Commission or any other competent authority had been presented to establish the alleged reassignment of the concession.
The development has sent trauma through nearby communities, particularly Akyem Heman and Nsoapemso, where residents are demanding urgent intervention following the death of the 28-years-old young man identified as Douglas Acheampong.
Reports from the area indicate that Douglas was allegedly shot during the confrontation with the soldiers. His family has since called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Narawa’s management claims the incident formed part of a wider operation to take over the disputed mining concession, alleging that armed civilians and military personnel entered the site and used gunfire during the operation.
The company alleged that the operation went far beyond a mere change of control, claiming that CCTV cameras were destroyed, workers’ mobile phones seized and access to communication restricted as the armed men took charge of the site.
Narawa further alleged that vehicles were deployed to block sections of the Akumasa Highway while mining machinery, infrastructure and other equipment were damaged or seized.
According to the company, a major mining tunnel was also fired upon, processing facilities were damaged and gold-bearing concentrate was allegedly removed from the concession.
The reported takeover has also triggered a mass exodus of workers, with Narawa claiming that about 82 employees have fled the concession because of fears for their safety.
The company’s Production and Operations Manager and Nkosuohene of Nsoapemso, Abdul Karim Fuseini, says he has been forced into hiding following alleged threats to his life.
Mr Fuseini further claimed that his residence was invaded, deepening fears among management and workers over what could happen next.
At the centre of the escalating confrontation is a dispute over the legal status and control of the mining concession.
Narawa narrated that it is the lawful holder of the large-scale mining lease and says it has operated on the concession since 2011. The Minerals Commission’s publicly available list currently includes Narawa Company Limited among mining lease holders, including a lease identified as PL-5/95 (Nsutam).
Management said the lease was renewed in 2020 and is expected to remain valid until 2029, but acknowledges that the concession had previously been subjected to an administrative termination.
The company says it challenged that decision through the courts and obtained an injunction on February 19, 2026, which it argues allowed it to remain on the concession pending determination of the substantive dispute.
Narawa therefore contended in an interview with this paper that any attempt to physically take over the concession while the legal dispute remains before the courts amounts to a direct challenge to the judicial process.
The company has specifically alleged that Ebenezer Atta Fynn, also known as Ben Doku or Ben, led the reported operation and was accompanied by armed civilians and military personnel.
It has also alleged links between the operation and persons connected to the Mahama family and claimed that the military personnel involved were connected to an office associated with the President’s brother.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, and no evidence establishing such links has been publicly produced in the material available for this report.
The company, however, insists that it has evidence relating to the alleged operation, including registration numbers of vehicles allegedly used at the site, and says reports have been submitted to law enforcement authorities.
Meanwhile, anger is mounting in Akyem Heman, where residents and opinion leaders are demanding the immediate withdrawal of armed military personnel from the community.
The youth have reportedly warned that continued deployment of heavily armed personnel could push frightened residents into taking steps to protect themselves — a threat that, if carried out, could further escalate tensions in the already volatile area.
Community leaders are therefore appealing directly to the President, the security agencies, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission to intervene before the confrontation degenerates further.
They want the circumstances surrounding Douglas Acheampong’s death investigated, those responsible identified and the security situation brought under control.
Narawa is similarly demanding an independent investigation into the alleged takeover, the reported killing, gunshot injuries, destruction of property, seizure of mining equipment and alleged removal of gold-bearing concentrate.
The company insists that whatever competing claims exist over the concession must be resolved through the courts and the statutory mining regulatory institutions — not through armed force.
As the dispute intensifies, mining operations at the concession remain suspended and workers are staying away.
The most troubling question now hanging over Fanteakwa South is whether a legitimate mining dispute has been allowed to spill into an armed confrontation — and whether the death of a 28-year-old resident will become the catalyst for a deeper security crisis.
Attempts by the media to obtain the side of the armed personnel reportedly occupying the concession have so far proved unsuccessful, with the security presence at the site making access difficult.
Meanwhile, as at the time of going tp press yesterday, the presidency had not responded to the allegation that it allegedly had any hand, whether directly or indirectly in the raid of the mining concession.
