Management of Onua TV and presenter, Captain Smart have come under intense criticism following a clash between local miners and military officers at Anglogold Obuasi Gold Mine which resulted in the death of nine (9) civilians.
On Saturday, January 18, 2025, around 11:00 PM, a group of approximately 60 illegal miners breached the security fence and attempted to access the Deep Decline area of the mine.
The miners were reportedly armed with locally manufactured rifles, pump-action guns, knives, axes, gas cylinders, and other tools, and opened fire on the military personnel when confronted.
In self-defence, the soldiers returned fire, resulting in the fatalities with other illegal miners seriously injured. The remaining individuals fled the scene.
Following the clash an old video of Onua TV presenter, Captain Smart surfaced. In the video, Captain Smart urged youth in the Ashanti Region to attack the mines of Anglo Gold Ashanti. According to him, the mining company was destroying the country’s lands and he sought to use a youth invasion to drive Anglo Gold out of Ghana.
This statement from Captain Smart has been purported to be the manifesto upon which the youth attacked the mine, although none of them involved in the attack has come out to say so.
Akwasi Nsiah, a presenter with Adom TV after the incident descended heavily on Onua TV and Captain Smart, blaming them for being responsible for the attack, with Captain Smart’s video as reference.
“Onua TV it is a shame you allowed for that to happen. The entire of Media General cannot even discuss the Obuasi issue because you’re ashamed. How do you continue to keep such a presenter on live television? Why?”
He also chastised the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) for also keeping mute over the level of unprofessionalism displayed by Captain Smart. “You will go and hit a journalist right now and the GJA and MFWA will all rise up but the wrongdoings of journalists are overlooked.”
“Let’s not condone this. What Captain Smart did is a disgrace, it is not journalism. Shame on you ones again the management of Media General for allowing such barbaric thing to happen on your network,” he chastised.
Watch video:
.@MediaGeneralGH platform was used to incite those NDC hoodlums to carry out that exercise, which tragically resulted in some losing their lives. Captain Smart and @OnuaTV should be held accountable for this.
You’re a disgrace to journalism in Ghana, @MediaGeneralGH @tv3_ghana… pic.twitter.com/7FmgwCrGox
— Nαɳα Kɯαɱҽ (@NanaKwame_off) January 20, 2025
