The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has clamped down on illegal mining activities along the Ankobrah River at Ayiem Juabo in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region, following intelligence reports of severe pollution of the river upstream.
The targeted operation was carried out on Wednesday, January 14, at about 8:30 p.m., focusing on illegal mining camps operating under the cover of darkness. The activities were identified as posing a serious threat to the Ankobrah River, a major water source for communities in the region.
During the operation, seven suspected illegal miners were arrested. Among them were two juveniles—Numbor Kwasi Musah, aged 16, and Benja Nakura Abdul-Wahid, aged 15—raising renewed concerns about the involvement of minors in illegal mining.
The other suspects arrested were Kombate Indabre, 20; Mawuli Boni, 29; Justice Mensah, 40; Bright Kwasi Nkrumah, 35; and Kwabena Lambon, 30.
NAIMOS officers seized equipment used in the illegal operations, including nine water pumping machines, mining trays and pans, charms, and mobile phones believed to have facilitated communication and coordination at the site. All makeshift structures at the camp were dismantled, and the equipment destroyed to prevent any resumption of illegal mining activities.
The suspects were handed over to the Ayiem Juabo Police Station to assist with investigations and prosecution, while seized machinery was transported to the NAIMOS headquarters in Accra for safekeeping and further action.
Background
NAIMOS is a national inter-agency enforcement body established to coordinate Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. The Secretariat brings together personnel from the security services and relevant state institutions to enforce mining laws, protect water bodies and forest reserves, and support the restoration of degraded environments.
Its operations form part of broader government efforts to curb illegal mining, which continues to pose significant risks to water security, environmental sustainability, and public health, particularly in mining-prone regions such as the Western Region.
Story By: Sheila Otuo-Baffour