Emmauel Armah-Kofi Buah
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) is set to establish a permanent security and enforcement presence in identified illegal mining hotspots in the Western Region as part of government’s strategy to sustain recent gains against galamsey activities.
According to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the decision follows a successful 48-hour joint operation carried out by NAIMOS in collaboration with the Blue Water Guards, which targeted illegal mining along the Ankobra River and in the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Wassa Akropong districts.
The Minister said the permanent deployment is intended to serve as a deterrent to criminal syndicates and prevent the return of illegal mining operations to areas where equipment and infrastructure were recently dismantled.
During the weekend operation, security teams destroyed more than 80 chanfan machines and 50 makeshift boats, arrested foreign operators, and immobilised excavators and pumping equipment at illegal mining sites on land.
Armah-Kofi Buah noted that beyond enforcement, the sustained presence of NAIMOS will help protect waterways from further pollution, preserve farmlands and ecosystems, and safeguard public infrastructure from illegal encroachment.
He said the move reflects a shift from short-term raids to long-term resource protection, aimed at ensuring Ghana’s mineral-rich lands and rivers are permanently secured for future generations.
The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency collaboration and maintaining pressure on illegal mining networks to prevent environmental degradation and economic losses.
