Open letter to IGP on misreported “assassination attempt” in Obuasi -Ernest Kofi Offen writes
Dear Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohonu,
I trust this letter finds you well as you continue your exceptional service to our nation. As an advocate of good governance, responsible citizenship, and media accountability, I have followed your firm stance on policing irresponsible commentary within the media landscape. Many may disagree with your approach, but for some of us, your intervention has been both timely and necessary.
Freedom of speech—though guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution—comes with a critical caveat: where one person’s freedom ends, another’s begins. Recklessness is not a constitutional right, and the state must act when misinformation threatens public safety and national cohesion.
Your swift responses in recent years have saved lives, protected property, and reminded citizens—especially media practitioners—of their responsibilities.
It is in this spirit that I write to draw your attention to a disturbing development in Obuasi.
When Irresponsible Reporting Becomes a Threat: A Reminder From Subriso
Sir, allow me to recount an incident I personally witnessed during my nine-year service as Information Officer at Tepa.
At Subriso, in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality, a community information centre operator irresponsibly broadcast unverified claims that ritual murderers were at the local cemetery. His call for residents to arm themselves and storm the cemetery triggered chaos. An innocent man returning from his farm was attacked by the mob; he survived only by grace and timely intervention.
Had he died, whose fault would it have been? The community’s? No.
It would have been the fault of the broadcaster who failed to check his facts.
This is what happens when media practitioners abandon their duty to inform and instead incite.
The Obuasi “Assassination Attempt” That Never Was
IGP Sir, let me now address the issue at hand.
On Saturday, 29th November 2025, reports circulated widely that there had been an assassination attempt on the Dompoasehene,Nana Okofo Kwabena Bonsu II, during a funeral in Obuasi. The claim—carried by two unpatriotic and irresponsible reporters—spread across Ghana like wildfire.
Sir, there was no assassination attempt.
Yet these two reporters chose to sensationalise the incident, frame it as an assassination attempt, and drag Obuasi’s already sensitive security situation into national panic—simply for views and social media clout.
Why This Matters: The Cost of Reckless Journalism in a Mining City
Sir, Obuasi is not an ordinary town. It is the economic spine of AngloGold Ashanti’s operations and a strategic investment hub for Ghana. The majority of investors here are foreign contractors and technical personnel. Any hint of insecurity—especially something as severe as an assassination attempt—has immediate consequences for investor confidence.
The town is still recovering from illegal mining confrontations earlier this year that resulted in casualties and heightened tension. The last thing Obuasi needs is fabricated high-profile criminal narratives.
To claim there was an assassination attempt on a chief is not merely irresponsible—it is economically dangerous.
Such stories can destabilise investment, tarnish Obuasi’s reputation, and undermine national security.
If anyone attempted an assassination in Obuasi, it is these two reporters—
assassins of truth, assassins of professionalism, and assassins of the future we are building for this city.
Sir, We Need You to Act
Your officers’ report contradicts the false narrative pushed by these two individuals. Yet they continue to walk free without being questioned about the source of their claims.
Sir, if truly there were assassins targeting our chiefs, should the very reporters who “broke the news” not be the first to be invited by your office for interrogation?
Obuasi deserves fairness.
Obuasi deserves safety.
Obuasi deserves protection from reckless journalism.
I therefore humbly call on your high office to:
1. Invite the two reporters for questioning regarding their allegation.
2. Demand evidence for their claims—if indeed there were assassins.
3. Apply the law as you have done in similar cases, to deter future misinformation.
4. Protect Obuasi’s image, which their sensationalism has attempted to damage.
Until this is done, Sir, it becomes difficult for citizens to understand why others are arrested for similar offences while these individuals face no consequences.
Conclusion
IGP, I commend your efforts in restoring dignity to the Ghana Police Service and ensuring responsible public discourse. I urge you to extend the same vigilance to this matter. The people of Obuasi deserve justice and protection from the spread of damaging falsehoods.
Obuasi deserves better.
Long live Adansiman.
Long live Obuasi.
Long live the Republic of Ghana.
Yours sincerely,
Ernest Kofi Offen
Email: ekoff2002@gmail.com