Traditional authorities and residents of Manso Tontokrom in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti region have threatened legal action against media houses that published a false report against them.
The threat follows news on Monday, March 2, 2026, which claimed that about ten illegal miners had died after a mining pit collapse at Manso Tontokrom.
The report quickly gained public attention and sparked concern within and beyond the district.
However, community leaders insist that no such incident took place in Manso Tontokrom or any of its surrounding communities.
They described the publication as inaccurate, misleading, and damaging to their reputation and urged the public to discard it.
They clarified that the tragic incident referenced in the report actually occurred at Atta Ne Atta in the Asutifi South District and not in Tontokrom as initially reported.
Addressing the media on Monday, the Mmamahene of Tontokrom, Nana Adu Gyamfi Kumanin, categorically denied the claims and warned that the continued circulation of the report risks tarnishing the image of the community.
He cautioned the media houses responsible for the publication to issue a correction and a formal apology within three days or face legal action.
“We cannot sit unconcerned while our community’s name is dragged into an incident that did not occur here,” Nana Adu Gyamfi Kumanin emphasised.
“The media must act responsibly and ensure that facts are thoroughly verified before publication. Failure to do so will compel the traditional council to seek redress through legal means.”
Residents who spoke to the media expressed disappointment over the report, stating that it had caused unnecessary panic among families and created confusion within the district.
They also threatened to invoke the gods’ curses on the media houses that published the news story without verification and to also retract the story and apologise.
The residence stressed that Manso Tontokrom remains calm and that no mining disaster has occurred in the area.
The District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for Amansie South, Mr. Iddrisu Ishaq, and some residents also urged journalists to exercise due diligence in their work.
He noted that inaccurate reporting can create avoidable tension and put pressure on local authorities who are compelled to respond to incidents that did not occur within their jurisdiction.
Story by Francis Appiah
