The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Squad (NAIMOS) has intensified its efforts against illegal mining, conducting a comprehensive sweep of galamsey sites in the Tano North District of the Ahafo Region.
The operation, carried out on January 18, targeted areas where illegal mining activities have caused significant environmental damage, including the pollution of the Tano River and the destruction of farmlands essential for local livelihoods.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and reports from residents, NAIMOS deployed a task force to communities such as Sukuumu, Subrisu No. 2, and Adrobaa. Upon arrival, operatives discovered three major illegal mining sites that showed signs of recent activity.
Local residents reported that one of the sites, previously used for rice and maize farming, had been taken over by illegal miners, including Chinese nationals, who operated excavators and heavy machinery. However, by the time the task force arrived, the miners had fled, and the equipment had been removed, suggesting they had been tipped off in advance.
Despite the absence of miners and machinery, NAIMOS proceeded to dismantle the remaining infrastructure. Makeshift structures and logistics points were set ablaze, while a heavy-duty multipurpose water pumping machine was deliberately destroyed to prevent quick reactivation of the sites.
Items seized and destroyed during the operation included new white drums, excavator batteries, plastic chairs, empty barrels, and the water pumping machine. These actions aim to disrupt the operational capabilities of illegal miners and deter their return.
NAIMOS officials stated that the strategy is designed to make the environment inhospitable for illegal activities, breaking the cycle of temporary abandonment followed by resumption. By removing essential logistics and equipment, the task force seeks to increase the costs and risks associated with galamsey.