Three people have now died in connection with the forceful takeover of the Narawa mining concession at Akyem Nsoapemso near Osino in Ghana's Eastern Region, the latest deaths recorded on October 1, 2026, according to GhanaWeb.
The new fatalities follow the killing of 28-year-old Douglas Acheampong, who was shot dead by armed military personnel in early August 2026 in front of his own house and the palace of Akyem Heman. The soldiers allegedly claimed to be acting on an order from the Presidency to seize the concession at gunpoint, GhanaWeb reported.
What happened at the Narawa concession?
The October 1 clash broke out at gun and cutlass point between the armed men, who had driven away all workers and officials of the Narawa company and installed their own workers to mine the concession, and a group accompanying the company's Managing Director, Amuda Yussif Fuseini.
Eyewitnesses told GhanaWeb that the armed men laid ambush along the routes leading to the concession and pounced on Fuseini and his entourage as he returned to check whether calm had returned to the site after months during which staff had fled for their lives.
Several people were left severely injured and are receiving treatment in hospital. Douglas Acheampong, the first victim named by the news desk, left behind two children, and community members say no authority has shown concern despite protests and cries for justice by the youth of the affected communities.
Communities call on President Mahama to intervene
Opinion leaders and residents of Akyem Nsoapemso, Heman, Apompe and neighbouring communities have sent a direct appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to call his relative and the armed men to order.
They say life for both children and adults has become dreadful in the communities, with armed men shooting in the area. The public has described the situation as one requiring urgent attention to prevent further loss of life.
All efforts by the media to obtain the other side of the story have failed, GhanaWeb reported, as the authorities concerned have adopted what the outlet described as a silent mechanism.
Where the case stands now
The case is before the Osino District Court. Suspects who were arrested have been granted bail and are awaiting the next scheduled hearing date.
The report by Nana Effei for GhanaWeb is the most detailed public account so far of an operation that communities describe as illegal and unofficial, carried out by men in military gear who spread themselves through the communities to register their presence and scare residents.
Why this matters for Ghana's investment climate
For a country working hard to position itself as a destination for mining investment, a story like this one does real damage. Ghana has spent years building a legal framework for mining concessions, strengthening the Minerals Commission, and courting investors who need certainty that a licensed operation cannot simply be seized at gunpoint.
When a managing director cannot visit his own concession without being ambushed, and when the response from the authorities is silence, the message travels fast. Investors in Accra boardrooms, in London, and across the Ghanaian diaspora read these stories and price in the risk. The communities pay first, but the wider economy pays too.
Transparency is the cheapest reform Ghana has available here. A clear public statement from the Presidency on whether any order was ever given, a visible investigation, and a court process that moves with urgency would do more for confidence than any investment promotion brochure. The government's own credibility on