Ghanaian security forces have arrested eight suspected illegal miners and seized four excavators and two motorbikes during a night operation targeting illicit mining activities along the Oda River in the Ashanti Region, authorities said.
The joint operation by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Blue Water Guards was carried out on Thursday night at Mpatasie and Odaho in the Amansie West District, an area with a long history of illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.
Officials said the team acted on intelligence indicating that miners were actively operating along the river corridor and adjoining roadside areas. Troops were deployed from the NAIMOS base at Manso Adubia at around 10:30 pm and moved under cover of darkness to intercept the operators.
Eight suspects were arrested at the scene. Four excavators were seized in varying conditions, with some found to be missing control boards and monitors, which authorities said suggested deliberate attempts to disable tracking systems and hinder enforcement. Two motorbikes used in the operation were also confiscated.
The suspects have been handed over to police at Antoa Krom for investigation and possible prosecution. The seized excavators and equipment have been transported to a secure NAIMOS logistics facility in Kumasi.
The Amansie West District and the broader Oda River corridor have been recurring flashpoints in Ghana’s anti-galamsey campaign. NAIMOS has conducted several operations in the area in recent months, including a major raid at the Oda River Forest Reserve in October 2025 that led to multiple arrests and the foiling of a GH¢120,000 bribery attempt.
Illegal mining has caused widespread pollution of rivers and destruction of farmland and forest cover across Ghana, with the Oda River among the waterways most affected. The Mahama administration has intensified enforcement efforts this year, with NAIMOS operations reported across the Ashanti, Western, Eastern, and Western North regions in recent weeks.
