Story by: Nii Okpoti Odamtten & Muhammad Faisal Mustapha
In a decisive show of fight against illegal mining, operatives of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), working in close coordination with the Blue Water Guards, and continuous support of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources under the leadership of Hon. Armah Kofi Buah have dismantled major illegal mining enclaves in the Nzema East District, marking a significant escalation in Ghana’s fight to protect its natural resources.
The intelligence driven operation, carried out on 20 April 2026 between 0830 and 1550 hours, targeted multiple hotspots notorious for galamsey activities, with particular focus on the heavily degraded Krobo Line enclave at Gwira Banso.
“This is not mining it is environmental vandalism on a national scale.”
Acting on credible intelligence indicating a resurgence of illegal mining in the area, the taskforce launched simultaneous raids across several sites. Upon arrival, operatives encountered approximately 20 illegal miners actively engaged in alluvial gold extraction along tributaries feeding the Ankobra River.
The miners, however, fled into surrounding bushes at the sight of the advancing team, abandoning equipment in a hurried attempt to evade arrest.
“Illegal miners may flee, but the damage they leave behind tells a deeper story.”
What remained was a stark illustration of environmental devastation: scarred lands, uprooted palm plantations, and deep pits puncturing once productive farmland.
“The Ankobra River is under siege and we will not allow it to fall.”
The scale of destruction uncovered at Krobo Line was extensive. Investigators documented:
* 16 water pumping machines
* 13 changfang machines
* Multiple industrial hoses
* Wooden gold washing platforms
* Makeshift residential structures
These installations had been strategically positioned along water channels to accelerate gold extraction, with little regard for ecological consequences.
The Ankobra River one of the region’s critical water sources had been heavily polluted by sedimentation and chemical runoff, raising serious concerns about public health and long term environmental sustainability.
“What we are witnessing here is not just illegal mining it is the systematic destruction of livelihoods, water security, and future generations’ survival,” a senior NAIMOS operative stated.
In strict adherence to operational protocols, all equipment found on site was disabled and destroyed. The taskforce rendered unusable:
* 13 changfang machines
* 16 water pumps
* Numerous hoses
* 6 wooden washing platforms
* 12 makeshift structures
All items were subsequently set ablaze to prevent reuse.
The operation was not merely punitive it was strategic, aimed at disrupting supply chains and deterring re entry into the enclave.
In a parallel operation, another unit conducted visibility patrols along a critical stretch of the Ankobra River from Abrodiem through Dominase to Awelezo areas increasingly exploited by illegal miners.
At Abrodiem, six miners operating from two improvised boats fitted with changfang machines abandoned their equipment mid river and fled upon sighting the patrol team. The operatives retrieved and destroyed the floating machinery on site.
Further along at Dominase and Awelezo, the taskforce uncovered a more sophisticated operation involving approximately 15 miners working within a large excavation pit.
Investigations revealed the construction of an artificial canal diverting water from the Ankobra River an alarming tactic that not only accelerates mining activity but significantly alters natural water flow.
“The diversion of river systems and use of hazardous chemicals represent a direct assault on communities that depend on these waters,” an environmental officer attached to the operation noted.
The miners had deployed:
* 3 improvised boats
* 6 changfang machines
* 4 water pumping machines
All equipment was destroyed and burned after the miners fled.
The coordinated operation underscores NAIMOS’ intensified resolve to clamp down on illegal mining across Ghana’s vulnerable districts.
Beyond enforcement, officials emphasize the broader implications of such activities linking environmental degradation to economic instability, food insecurity, and public health risks.
“This is a sustained campaign. We are not just clearing sites we are reclaiming Ghana’s future,” a taskforce commander affirmed.
Authorities have signaled that similar intelligence led operations will continue across affected regions, with increased surveillance and rapid response strategies to ensure that cleared areas do not relapse into illegal activity.
“We are reclaiming not just land, but the future of communities that depend on these ecosystems.”
