NAIMOS Vows To Deal Ruthlessly With Illegal Miners

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The Director of Operations for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Colonel K.S. Appiah has warned illegal miners that the agency will intensify enforcement against individuals and networks involved in mining activities that threaten Ghana’s resources.

Speaking at the Progress Series, Col. Appiah affirmed that NAIMOS would continue its operations in collaboration with institutions responsible for investigation and prosecution, while expanding its presence in affected communities to suppress illegal mining.

“Individuals and groups who continue to pollute our rivers, degrade our forests, and decimate critical national infrastructure, including roads, will be dealt with decisively and ruthlessly.”

The director’s warning underscores the agency’s determination to pursue illegal mining operators and those who provide the logistical support that enables their activities. He called on the public to recognise the environmental and infrastructural damage associated with mining in prohibited areas.

Col. Appiah also appealed to the media, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support accurate reporting and informed public scrutiny of the agency’s work. He explained that sustained public attention is important to help citizens understand the threat illegal mining poses to Ghana’s natural resources and assess the effectiveness of enforcement efforts.

Responding to questions about arrests, the NAIMOS official confirmed that several suspects, numbering in the hundreds were apprehended during the period under review. Those arrested were transferred to police stations in the relevant districts, while some suspects were handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department.

He explained that some cases proceeded to court, with suspects either granted bail or remanded in custody, while others are still going through the judicial process. However, the director did not provide an exact figure for the number of arrests.

Meanwhile, NAIMOS intends to extend its operational reach in the Western Region with plans to open a forward operating base at Wassa Akropong in November. Col. Appiah indicated that deployments already covered areas including Avenfi East and Avenfi West, with personnel continuing to conduct operations across the region.

The agency’s enforcement agenda includes protecting rivers and strategic forests, disrupting illegal mining networks and securing critical infrastructure. Col. Appiah expressed appreciation to the President, the Ghana Armed Forces High Command, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, partner institutions, deployed personnel and cooperating communities for their support.

He reaffirmed NAIMOS’s commitment to carrying out its mandate professionally, with continued operations intended to consolidate progress against illegal mining.

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat is working towards transferring responsibility for sustaining gains against illegal mining to district security institutions and communities once affected areas become stable.

The Director of Operations, Colonel K.S. Appiah explained that phasing out permanent military deployment is essential to empowering local entities to maintain long-term order.

Col. Appiah outlined a transition strategy involving district and regional security structures, community safeguards and the secure storage of seized excavators, as the agency seeks to prevent illegal miners from returning to cleared areas.

“For every military operation, we cannot keep the military or the force in place forever. There must come a time where, when things are stable, we will have to transition, and that is where we are looking at.”

The director explained that the intended handover would depend on the ability of district and regional security institutions to sustain protection after NAIMOS operations have established greater stability. He identified the district and regional security councils such as DISECs and RESECs, as part of the structures expected to assume these responsibilities.

Beyond formal security institutions, Col. Appiah highlighted the role of local communities in preventing illegal mining from taking root. He observed that some communities had already resolved to resist galamsey, helping to keep the activity out of their areas.

He clarified that community participation would centre on establishing safeguards and checks to deter illegal miners, rather than expecting residents to confront them directly. This approach places prevention and local vigilance alongside formal enforcement.

In addition to planning the transition, NAIMOS is strengthening the documentation and custody of excavators seized during anti-galamsey operations. Col. Appiah reported that the agency seized more than 100 excavators, which are being kept at secure holding locations, including military bases and other protected facilities within the regions.

He explained that officers recorded the chassis numbers of the machines and the GPS coordinates of the locations where they were seized. These records are intended to support the Attorney-General’s efforts to secure their confiscation by the state on the grounds that the equipment was found actively engaged in illegal mining.

The director indicated that the documentation process would help establish the basis for confiscation and the subsequent appropriate disposal of the machinery.

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