The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has immobilized three excavators and driven away approximately 60 illegal miners during a dawn operation along the Ankobra River at Agbanzie in Nzema East District on Thursday.
The raid, conducted between 8:00 am and 11:20 am on February 13 in collaboration with Blue Water Guards, followed intelligence reports that excavators had been deployed dangerously close to the river. Officials intercepted one excavator being moved toward the riverbank, which operators abandoned upon sighting the taskforce.
The team immediately disabled the machine by removing its monitor and electronic jumper to prevent operators from driving it away. At the main mining site, two SDLG excavators fitted with Chanfang equipment were found actively operating along the riverbank.
Preliminary checks revealed that operators had removed key control components, apparently to frustrate seizure efforts. With no lowbed trucks available to transport the heavy machinery, the taskforce dismantled critical parts including system units, fuse boxes, monitors, oil pumps, gear levers and batteries, rendering the excavators permanently inoperable.
Investigations showed illegal mining activities were occurring within approximately 50 metres of the Ankobra River, leading to severe water pollution. Large areas of arable land have been damaged by deep excavations created by the mining operations.
During extended patrols along the river, about 60 illegal miners were spotted operating on the opposite bank. They fled upon seeing officers approach. The team secured a canoe with support from Blue Water Guards to cross the river and destroy additional illegal mining equipment discovered on the far bank.
NAIMOS says it is intensifying its nationwide crackdown on illegal mining operations and has urged local authorities and security agencies to fully activate monitoring responsibilities within their jurisdictions. The secretariat warned that any individual or group found engaging in illegal mining would face the full force of the law.
The Ankobra River remains one of several important water bodies under severe threat from illegal mining in Ghana. The 190 kilometre river flows through cocoa producing areas of Western Region before emptying into the Gulf of Guinea near Axim.
Environmental degradation from illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, has polluted major rivers including the Pra, Offin, Birim and Ankobra over recent years. Water treatment companies have repeatedly warned that raw water quality has deteriorated to dangerous levels, forcing increased chemical use in purification processes.
President John Dramani Mahama has emphasized his administration’s commitment to combating illegal mining while balancing livelihoods of small scale miners operating legally. The government established the Ghana Gold Board under Act 1140 in May 2025, requiring domestic gold purchases be settled in cedis before export.
Three High Court judges received assignments to specialized environmental courts expected to begin operations in early 2026, designed to handle increasing illegal mining and environmental degradation cases. The courts will expedite prosecution of individuals and companies involved in activities that damage water bodies and forest reserves.
NAIMOS previously conducted a major operation along the Ankobra River in October 2025, spanning nearly 10 kilometres from Gwira Eshiem to Gwira Aiyinasi. That operation uncovered massive illegal mining at a hotspot locally known as Cocoa Ase in Gwira Banso where miners were dredging the riverbed.
During the October raid, the taskforce burned over 100 makeshift shelters, destroyed seven Chanfang machines and seized 23 water pumping machines along with gas cylinders, shovels and other mining tools. Officers also discovered the Kamei Stream, a tributary, had been blocked and diverted by miners to aid operations.
The taskforce successfully reopened the natural watercourse and destroyed more than 50 additional pumping machines found at a nearby repair workshop. A Hyundai excavator discovered at Abrodiem was immobilized after its pump and gear lever were removed.
NAIMOS also conducted a nighttime operation in mid January at Ayiem Juabo in Amenfi Central District, arresting seven suspected illegal miners including two juveniles. The operation targeted a galamsey camp situated directly on the riverbank that had severely polluted sections of the river upstream.
As part of broader efforts to curb illegal mining, NAIMOS has begun implementing plans to permanently deploy field officers to identified high risk zones. The strategy aims to reduce response times, strengthen intelligence led operations and increase frequency of both daytime and nighttime enforcement actions across affected districts.
Environmental advocates argue enforcement alone cannot solve the galamsey crisis without addressing root causes including poverty in mining communities, limited alternative livelihoods and demand for gold that creates incentives for illegal operations. Sustainable solutions require combining enforcement with community development, economic alternatives and regulatory reforms enabling legitimate small scale mining.
Communities along the Ankobra River include both licensed miners attempting to operate within regulations and illegal operators whose activities cause environmental destruction. The coexistence creates enforcement challenges for authorities seeking to distinguish between legal and illegal activities.
Whether government efforts ultimately succeed in restoring the Ankobra River depends on sustained political will, adequate resources and complementary policies addressing economic drivers of illegal mining. Ghana loses an estimated 2.3 billion cedis annually to illegal mining according to recent government assessments.
