The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for the Amenfi East Constituency, Ernest Frimpong, has been released by the Tarkwa Police Command in the Western Region.

Ernest Frimpong was released on Wednesday evening after providing a statement regarding his comments in a widely circulated video.

The video in question showed Frimpong allegedly urging miners to retaliate against police officers and soldiers who attempt to extort money from them.

However, he denied these allegations, asserting that he neither endorsed illegal mining nor encouraged miners to confront military personnel.

He claimed his remarks were taken out of context from a two-hour discussion with artisanal small-scale miners, emphasizing that his intentions were misrepresented.

In response to the controversy, the Municipal Chief Executive for Wassa Amenfi East, Frederick Korankye, condemned Frimpong’s comments and urged miners to cooperate with security officers to eliminate illegal mining activities in the community.

Korankye stressed the importance of following legal procedures for mining, encouraging miners to obtain the necessary documentation and permits in accordance with Ghanaian laws.

“The government is ready to facilitate the documents for you to do your work according to the guidelines set out in the mining laws. So that is what I will plead with the miners. In fact, the land belongs to us, so we cannot look unconcerned for them to destroy it the way it is," Korankye stated.

He also highlighted the role of the military in maintaining order and combating crime.

“Once in a while, the military will come to ensure that things are done correctly. At the beginning of every year, there are rampant armed robbery cases over here, and when it happens, we rely on these security services to assist. We cannot attack them and then later call them to help us," he said.

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