Lawyers of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited Company (NAMLC) has accused officers of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) of attempting to access the company’s server room at its Konongo mining site to disconnect or switch off CCTV cameras.
The company, through its solicitors, Vint and Aletheia, has warned NAIMOS against interfering with its surveillance systems, insisting that any attempt to disable the cameras could compromise electronic records and evidence that may be required in ongoing court proceedings initiated against the Minerals Commission and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and other relevant authorities.
In a letter dated October 31, 2026, and addressed to the Director of Operations of NAIMOS, the lawyers alleged that officers of the Secretariat had attempted to gain access to the server room following the public broadcast of CCTV footage purportedly showing efforts to transfer NAMLC’s mining concessions to Chinese nationals.
According to the lawyers, the development comes after NAIMOS officers allegedly invaded the company’s mining concessions on October 22, 2026, and gave its personnel 12 hours to vacate the premises.
The lawyers further claimed that illegal mining activities had continued at the concessions despite NAIMOS taking over the sites.
They said CCTV footage installed by NAMLC captured the presence of Chinese nationals who were allegedly introduced to the site by officials of NAIMOS and the Minerals Commission, including the Ashanti Regional Director.
The lawyers expressed concern that the alleged attempts to access the server room and disconnect the cameras could be intended to conceal evidence of illegal activities allegedly being undertaken at the mining concessions.
They have, therefore, cautioned that neither NAIMOS nor any other state agency had the right to interfere with CCTV cameras installed by the company and warned that they would not hesitate to pursue legal action against the State, NAIMOS officers and any other individuals involved in such conduct.
The warning comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between NAMLC and the relevant state authorities over the purported revocation of the company’s mining leases and prospecting licences, as well as the takeover of its concessions.
The company has already commenced legal proceedings challenging the actions, while an application for an interlocutory injunction against the relevant authorities, including the Minerals Commission and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, remains pending before the court.
The solicitors argued that Articles 23 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution require administrative bodies and public officials to act fairly, reasonably and in accordance with due process.
“Articles 23 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution require administrative bodies and public officials to act fairly, reasonably and in accordance with due process. Any further action taken in respect of our client’s operations and property must be consistent with these constitutional requirements,” the lawyers asserted.
They maintained that any further action affecting the company’s operations and property must comply with these constitutional requirements.
The solicitors warned that any interference with the surveillance systems could trigger further legal action.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak