The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has launched a bold offensive against illegal mining activities in the Ashanti Region, securing parts of the Atwima Mponua Forest Reserve in a coordinated operation.
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, a joint task force comprising NAIMOS operatives, troops from the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Ghana Army, and officials from the Forestry Commission (FC) stormed Anhwiafutu in the Nkawie Forest District of the Offin Shelter Belt.
The dawn swoop, carried out under strict intelligence, revealed extensive signs of galamsey activity. Excavator tracks were spotted across the community, indicating that heavy machinery had been moved out shortly before the task force’s arrival. Within the forest, evidence of widespread destruction from illegal mining was uncovered.
Illegal miners fled upon sighting the security team, leaving behind makeshift structures and equipment. The task force immobilized nine excavators, and seized three pickups—two Toyota Hilux vehicles and one Nissan pickup—concealed in the forest.
In addition, five chanfang machines, fuel dumps, water pumps, old excavator engines, and other personal belongings were set ablaze to prevent further use. Seven water-pumping machines belonging to the miners were also destroyed.
During the raids, the team discovered a house reportedly occupied by 12 Chinese nationals engaged in illegal mining. Though the occupants escaped at dawn, a search of the premises uncovered 18 excavator batteries, 31 buckets of grease, seven gas cylinders, one mini car-washing machine, and an excavator radiator.
Due to the absence of low-bed trucks, the seized excavators were immobilized on-site to render them inoperable.
NAIMOS has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at protecting Ghana’s forest reserves from destruction by illegal mining syndicates and their armed collaborators.
