Accra, March 25, – The National Anti‑Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) says it has made notable progress in combating illegal mining across the country, but cautions that the fight is far from over.
Colonel Dominic Buah, NAIMOS Director of Operations, told editors at a media engagement in Accra that intensified enforcement over the past 10 months had led to the seizure of 94 excavators, destruction of nearly 3,000 changfang machines, and the arrest of 237 suspects, the majority of whom were foreign nationals.
Col. Buah said NAIMOS has achieved an operational “strike rate” of approximately 87 per cent, reflecting successful outcomes in most field operations, including seizures, arrests, and destruction of illegal mining equipment.
He added that the presence of excavators at illegal mining sites had drastically declined due to sustained operations. “We used to encounter 10, 20 excavators at a site. Now, you hardly see any,” he noted, explaining that some equipment was immobilised on-site when immediate removal was not possible.
The NAIMOS official highlighted security risks, reporting that 59 weapons, mainly pump-action guns, had been confiscated from illegal miners. “There are several weapons in the space… and that is a huge threat. NAIMOS will not allow these to be used against our personnel,” he warned.
Col. Buah also flagged the involvement of trafficked foreign nationals, particularly from China, and noted that some were assisted by local collaborators. Arrested foreigners were either deported or prosecuted based on evidence.
He explained that seized equipment is being repurposed, with pumping machines handed to farmers via the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, while recovered scrap metals are cleared from water bodies with support from the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation.
NAIMOS is scaling up permanent deployments in major mining hotspots and plans to establish at least nine operational bases by mid-2026 for rapid response. The Secretariat is also supervising land reclamation efforts, restoring over 800 acres of degraded land.
Despite these gains, Col. Buah acknowledged evolving tactics by illegal miners and the risks faced by personnel. “A soldier going to stop galamsey and getting shot… it is a huge risk. But we will continue,” he said.
He urged illegal miners to participate in Government-backed cooperative mining schemes and warned that those operating in prohibited areas would be firmly dealt with.
Illegal mining continues to threaten the environment and economy, causing river pollution, forest destruction, and loss of arable land. NAIMOS, established in 2025, coordinates anti-illegal mining operations, safeguards natural resources, and supports land restoration efforts.
GHBUSS
March 25, 2026
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