The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illegal mining, mounting a series of coordinated operations across the Eastern Region on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
The latest exercise saw multiple illegal mining sites raided, equipment dismantled, and makeshift camps destroyed as the task force renewed efforts to protect Ghana’s rivers, forests, and farmlands from the scourge of galamsey.
At Old Abirem, NAIMOS officers uncovered an active mining site where three individuals were found operating heavy machinery. The suspects were taken in for questioning, leading the team to a second nearby site. There, four excavators showing fresh signs of use were discovered. To prevent reactivation, the task force disabled the machines by removing their control systems before destroying two water pumps, fuel drums, and temporary shelters.
The operation continued at Kyenkyenku in the Birim North District, where miners were found working perilously close to a public road. Upon the task force’s arrival, the miners fled, abandoning an excavator and two diesel containers.
In another sweep, NAIMOS officers entered a suspected illegal mining zone within the Oboho Forest Reserve in the Ayensuano District. Although the site had been vacated before their arrival, four excavators were later found parked in nearby villages — a discovery officials say raises suspicions of possible foreign involvement in the illicit trade.
Perhaps most alarming was the team’s discovery of mining pits dug into cocoa plantations at Old Abirem, a trend that highlights the encroachment of illegal mining into farmlands and food-producing areas.
A statement from NAIMOS described the raids as part of a sustained national campaign to reclaim degraded forest reserves and protect vital water bodies from illegal mining. The Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining pressure on offenders and restoring ecological balance to affected communities.
