NAIMOS: Intensifies Operations Against Illegal Mining in Ghana's West

• NAIMOS intensified operations against illegal mining in Ghana's Western and Eastern Regions on October 29.
• The enforcement actions led to the arrest of 11 suspected illegal miners across multiple sites.
• Operations targeted forest reserves, farming areas, and critical water bodies, resulting in significant infrastructure destruction.
• NAIMOS destroyed numerous chanfang machines, water pumps, generator plants, and makeshift structures.
• The Secretariat plans to continue intelligence-led, sustained operations to prevent reoccupation and protect environmental assets.

The Secretariat affirmed its intention to continue intelligence-led, sustained operations.

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has significantly ramped up its enforcement efforts against illicit mining activities across Ghana's Western and Eastern Regions. These intensified operations, conducted on October 29, specifically targeted areas within forest reserves, agricultural lands, and along crucial water bodies. The concerted actions led to the apprehension of 11 individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining and the dismantling of substantial infrastructure used in these unauthorized operations.

In the Western Region, NAIMOS personnel conducted separate operations. At the Cape Three Points Forest in Ahanta West, teams discovered multiple illegal mining sites. At one location, four suspected illegal miners were arrested and subsequently transferred to police custody for further investigation, while four chanfang machines and seven water pumps were destroyed. A subsequent patrol in the same forest uncovered another major site where operators had fled, leaving behind two excavators with their monitors removed. Here, three additional chanfang machines, four water pumps, and four makeshift structures were destroyed, and a critical component from one excavator was recovered.

Another operation in the Western Region, specifically at Abrokyire-Krobo in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality, saw NAIMOS forces raid an illegal mining site after its occupants fled upon their approach. This intervention resulted in the destruction of five chanfang machines, five water pumps, seven generator plants, and two makeshift structures. Additionally, one chanfang machine and a water pump were recovered. During this patrol, NAIMOS observed renewed mining activities in certain areas, underscoring the persistent challenge of preventing reoccupation.

Further enforcement actions extended to the Eastern Region, where NAIMOS focused on the Apapam-Asikem area within the Abuakwa South Municipality. These operations specifically addressed illegal mining impacting the Birim River and its tributaries, as well as zones adjacent to the Atiwa Forest Reserve. During this intervention, seven suspected illegal miners were taken into custody. The task force also destroyed two chanfang machines, three water pumps, and three makeshift structures, directly targeting the equipment and temporary shelters used by the illicit operators.

The combined efforts across both regions on October 29 resulted in the total arrest of eleven individuals suspected of illegal mining. These operations highlight the widespread nature of the problem, with NAIMOS confronting activities ranging from remote forest clearings to riverbanks. The destruction of numerous pieces of heavy machinery and support infrastructure aims to significantly impede the capacity of illegal miners to continue their environmentally damaging practices.

NAIMOS's internal assessments reveal that illegal miners frequently exploit remote and challenging terrains, particularly along water bodies, as a tactic to evade detection and enforcement. In response, the Secretariat has articulated a clear strategy to counter these evasive maneuvers. NAIMOS emphasizes its commitment to broadening and sustaining pressure across all identified illegal mining hotspots, including water bodies, forest reserves, and agricultural lands, rather than concentrating its resources on a single location.

The Secretariat affirmed its intention to continue intelligence-led, sustained operations. This strategic approach is designed to achieve several critical objectives: preventing the reoccupation of sites that have been cleared, disrupting the logistical networks supporting illegal mining, and ultimately safeguarding vital environmental assets from further degradation. This ongoing commitment reflects an understanding that persistent, adaptive enforcement is necessary to combat the dynamic nature of illegal mining.

Source: Original reporting via Carbonatix