A joint security operation has been launched to dismantle illegal mining activities along the Ankobra River, with enforcement teams moving into several affected communities on Friday, January 2, 2026, marking a renewed push against galamsey activities at the start of the new year.
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) taskforce, working alongside the Nzema East Blue Water Guards, began the operation in Abelebo and Akango within the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region. Upon the arrival of the taskforce, hundreds of illegal miners fled the area to evade arrest.
Officials estimate that about 500 miners scattered across the river and into nearby bushes and villages, prompting continued pursuit by the joint team. The scale of the exodus reflected the extensive illegal mining network operating along this section of the Ankobra River, one of Ghana’s most threatened water bodies.
As part of the operation, officers destroyed extensive mining infrastructure, setting ablaze approximately 100 dredging chanfang platforms, 50 water pumping machines and several temporary structures erected at the mining sites. The taskforce also removed and destroyed multiple pipelines connected to the Ankobra River, which were discharging mining residue into the water and contributing to pollution.
In addition, five excavators discovered in a pit roughly 150 metres from the river were rendered unusable after their control boards and monitors were detached. The operation aimed to flush out operators whose activities have continued to degrade the Ankobra River and its surrounding environment despite repeated government warnings and previous enforcement actions.
The January 2 operation represents the latest in a series of aggressive interventions along the Ankobra River throughout 2025. In October, NAIMOS conducted a major riverine patrol covering approximately 10 kilometres from Gwira Eshiam to Anyinase, uncovering massive illegal mining activities particularly at Cocoa Ase in Gwira Banso where miners were dredging the riverbed.
During that October operation, the taskforce set ablaze over 100 makeshift shelters, destroyed seven chanfang machines and seized an assortment of mining tools including 23 water pumping machines, gas cylinders, shovels and even a DSTV dish believed to have been used at the site. The team also discovered that the Kamei Stream, a key tributary of the Ankobra River, had been blocked and diverted to support illegal mining operations.
NAIMOS reopened the natural watercourse and destroyed more than 50 additional pumping machines found at a nearby repair workshop during the October raids. A Hyundai excavator discovered at Abrodiem was immobilized after its pump and gear lever were removed, demonstrating the comprehensive approach to preventing future mining activities.
The recurring need for enforcement operations along the same river sections highlights the challenge authorities face in permanently clearing illegal miners from lucrative mining sites. Despite repeated raids and equipment destruction, new operators quickly move in to replace those displaced, creating a cycle of enforcement and reoccupation that strains government resources.
The Ankobra River remains one of the most threatened water bodies in Ghana due to persistent illegal mining activities that have severely polluted the river and disrupted surrounding ecosystems. The waterway, which flows through cocoa-growing regions in the Western Region, serves communities dependent on it for drinking water, fishing and agricultural irrigation.
Environmental assessments have documented extensive damage to the Ankobra River ecosystem, with heavy metals and sediment from mining operations contaminating water and destroying aquatic habitats. The pollution affects downstream communities stretching to the river’s mouth at the Gulf of Guinea, creating public health concerns and economic losses for fishing communities.
Following the January 2 operation, NAIMOS officials are expected to issue stern warnings to illegal miners operating along the Ankobra River and its adjoining areas, consistent with messaging during previous raids. This operation is just the beginning, officials typically declare, adding that we will not relent in our mission to protect Ghana’s environment and water resources from further degradation.
The government has designated galamsey as a national security threat requiring coordinated multi-agency responses. Attorney General Dominic Ayine revealed in October 2025 that approximately 600 illegal miners face prosecution across 65 dockets, while the Lands Ministry reported more than 1,500 arrests since January 2025, including 60 Chinese nationals.
Specialized courts have been designated to handle environmental crimes, with Acting Chief Justice Baffoe Bonnie urging judges to take galamsey prosecutions seriously. Three High Court judges received assignments to specialized environmental courts expected to begin operations in early 2026, designed to handle increasing illegal mining, environmental degradation and related cases.
President John Dramani Mahama has emphasized his administration’s commitment to combating illegal mining while balancing the 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, directing small scale mining output into formal channels while building foreign exchange reserves.
However, the coexistence of legitimate small scale mining with illegal galamsey operations creates enforcement challenges. Communities along the Ankobra River include both licensed miners attempting to operate within regulations and illegal operators whose activities cause environmental destruction. Distinguishing between the two groups and protecting legitimate operations while shutting down illegal ones requires careful coordination.
The Nzema East Blue Water Guards, partnering with NAIMOS in the January 2 operation, represent community-level security initiatives aimed at protecting local water bodies from degradation. These groups work alongside national taskforces to provide local intelligence and sustained monitoring between major enforcement operations, though their capacity and resources remain limited.
NAIMOS was established as the coordinating secretariat for all anti-illegal mining operations across Ghana, bringing together military, police, immigration and other security services under unified command. The organization conducts regular operations across mining regions, though the Ankobra River area has required particularly frequent interventions due to persistent illegal activities.
The success of anti-galamsey operations is measured not only by equipment destroyed and miners displaced but by long-term restoration of degraded water bodies and prevention of reoccupation by illegal operators. NAIMOS has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations and warned that any individual or group found engaging in illegal mining along the Ankobra River or elsewhere would face the full force of the law.
Environmental advocates argue that 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 that enable legitimate small scale mining.
The January 2, 2026 operation demonstrates the government’s resolve to maintain pressure on illegal miners as the new year begins, signaling that enforcement efforts will continue despite the challenges of permanently clearing degraded river systems. Whether this approach ultimately succeeds in restoring the Ankobra River depends on sustained political will, adequate resources and complementary policies addressing the economic drivers of illegal mining.
