The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has intensified its nationwide clampdown on galamsey, striking hard at Akango and surrounding communities in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.
On Thursday, 6th November 2025, NAIMOS taskforce mounted a coordinated operation across Evalue Gwira, Agbanzie, and Bameigo communities following intelligence reports about Chinese nationals engaging in illegal mining activities that had left vast stretches of farmland destroyed and nearby water bodies severely polluted.
At Evalue Gwira, the taskforce discovered three(3) excavators concealed in the bush after the illegal miners were tipped off by locals. The equipment was swiftly immobilized by removing three(3) control boards to prevent further use.
A search of makeshift wooden structures serving as living quarters for the illegal miners led to the confiscation of several items including five(5) standing fans, one(1) freezer, three(3) batteries, one(1) fridge, one(1) dish warmer, three(3) control boards, and three(3) cylinders. The temporary structures and their contents were set ablaze to prevent the illegal operators from returning.
The team later advanced to Agbanzie but could not access an active illegal mining site across the River Ankobra due to the lack of life jackets and boats. At Bameigo, a Chinese mining firm was inspected, and after verification with NAIMOS headquarters, its operations were confirmed to be legitimate.
The Director of Operations at NAIMOS commended the taskforce for their professionalism and persistence, noting that parts of the Ankobra River have begun to regain their natural clarity thanks to the continuous presence of NAIMOS operatives and the Blue Water Guards who conduct periodic patrols along the river.
He described the mission as a strong signal that the Secretariat’s fight against illegal mining is yielding results. “Every successful operation reclaims part of our future,” he said, reaffirming NAIMOS’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s environment and natural resources.
Despite the success, the operation highlighted logistical challenges such as the lack of boats and life jackets, which hindered access to illegal mining activity across the Ankobra River. The Secretariat has therefore called for immediate support to equip its teams with the necessary tools to sustain river patrols and operations in hard-to-reach areas.
No casualties or injuries were recorded during the mission.
The latest success at Akango adds to a growing list of NAIMOS operations that have disrupted illegal mining networks across the country, reinforcing the Secretariat’s reputation as Ghana’s leading force in the fight to safeguard the nation’s lands and rivers.
