The National Communications Director for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has held the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and President John Dramani Mahama accountable for the deaths of at least seven people in Obuasi on Saturday.Referring to the incident as a "Black Sunday," Ahiagbah pointed to a deadly clash between illegal miners and military personnel guarding the AngloGold Ashanti mining site.

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In an emotional social media post, Ahiagbah expressed deep frustration, accusing the NDC and Mahama's newly inaugurated government of neglect. He blamed the NDC for not controlling their supporters, leading to the fatal conflict.

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“Ghanaians must hold the NDC and the John Mahama administration responsible for the murder of these eight Ghanaians owing to their inaction to inform, caution, or advise the members of the NDC who have taken the laws into their own hands and stormed institutions under the guise that it is their government that is in power.

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“Just 12 days in office, eight avoidable slaughters simply because the NDC refused to heed the call to bring their rampaging members to order. Now, these precious lives are gone forever due to that negligence. No extent of investigation will bring them back to life,” he wrote on X.On the night of January 18, 2025, a violent confrontation at the AngloGold Ashanti mining site left seven illegal miners dead and several others wounded.

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The miners, reportedly armed, attempted to force their way onto the site, which led to a military intervention by troops on Operation HALT II.The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) confirmed the incident, stating that the miners began the altercation by firing at the soldiers, prompting a defensive response.In light of the tragedy, President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an urgent investigation and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives.

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