The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has reaffirmed its commitment to combating illegal mining, declaring that the fight against galamsey remains a top national priority.
The Director of Operations at NAIMOS, Colonel Dominic Buah, disclosed that the Secretariat has achieved an 87.7 per cent operational success rate since July 2025, reflecting a significant improvement in enforcement efforts.
Speaking at a media briefing at the ISD Press Centre in Accra, Colonel Buah said the results marked a transition from fragmented interventions to a more coordinated, intelligence-led approach.
He stressed that illegal mining had escalated beyond an environmental concern into a major national threat, endangering water bodies, forest reserves and livelihoods.
“This is no longer just an environmental issue, it is an existential threat to Ghana,” he stated.
According to him, within ten months of its establishment, NAIMOS has developed a unified command structure that brings together the military, police, immigration and intelligence agencies, under a single operational framework, significantly enhancing efficiency across all seven operational regions.
Between July 2025 and March 2026, NAIMOS carried out 122 operations, resulting in 237 arrests, including 144 foreign nationals.
Colonel Buah noted that all operations are intelligence-driven and outcome-focused. He reported the seizure and immobilisation of 94 excavators, as well as the destruction of 2,647 Chanfang platforms.
He further revealed that 59 firearms and 208 rounds of ammunition were retrieved during operations, pointing to the increasing militarisation of illegal mining activities.
He added that sustained enforcement has begun to yield positive environmental results, with early signs of recovery observed along rivers such as the Ankobra and Ayensu.
However, he acknowledged that operations continue to pose risks to personnel, citing incidents of attacks, injuries and fatalities.
Looking ahead, Colonel Buah indicated that NAIMOS will intensify operations nationwide, with a particular focus on river bodies, forest reserves and key mining corridors.
He announced plans to deploy nine permanent field task forces in phases, across identified hotspots to ensure a sustained operational presence.
“These deployments will ensure continuous monitoring rather than sporadic raids,” he explained.
He added that deeper collaboration with the Blue Water Guards, enhanced personnel training and the regular rotation of task force members would be prioritised to improve effectiveness and minimise the risk of compromise and corruption.
NAIMOS was established in June 2025 by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as a central coordinating body to lead Ghana’s fight against illegal mining through intelligence-led, multi-agency operations.
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The post Galamsey Is Ghana’s Enemy … We Are Fighting The Canker – NAIMOS appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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