The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has intensified its crackdown on illegal mining and associated criminal activities in Ghana’s Western Region, executing a major operation in Aboso’s notorious “Gangway” enclave within the Prestea-Huni Valley District.
The operation, described by officials as one of the most decisive anti-galamsey actions this year, saw the destruction of makeshift structures, the seizure of narcotics, and the voluntary surrender of several hundred individuals engaged in illegal mining and related vices.
According to the Task Force, “Gangway” had become a haven for illicit activities, including unregulated mining, narcotics trade, and gambling. The densely populated area had long resisted law enforcement efforts, becoming a focal point for both environmental degradation and social unrest.
The Secretariat confirmed that the operation led to the burning of several makeshift structures that served as hideouts and bases for narcotics use and gambling. Eleven parcels of Indian hemp and quantities of other hard drugs were seized during the raid. “This is part of our ongoing effort to dismantle the infrastructure that sustains illegal mining and criminality,” the statement read.
The Task Force reported that hundreds of locals, believed to be directly involved in galamsey and other illegal trades, surrendered peacefully. “Their surrender shows that our strategy of sustained pressure and community engagement is working,” the statement added.
Repeated Warnings
The recent exercise comes after repeated warnings from the NAIMOS leadership to galamsey operators and criminal networks in the area. A similar operation was conducted in June 2025, during which illegal miners were cautioned to vacate the site. However, those warnings were largely ignored, prompting this renewed and more forceful intervention.
While en route to “Gangway,” the NAIMOS Task Force extended its operations to the Dadwen-Domping area within the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, another hotspot for illegal mining.
In that operation, officers seized 15 water pumping machines and one generator set, destroyed three chanfangs, and set ablaze other equipment and structures used by illegal miners.
According to NAIMOS, these actions are part of a coordinated national effort to root out illegal mining, which continues to threaten the environment, particularly water bodies and farmlands.
The Secretariat emphasized that, beyond environmental damage, galamsey operations have fueled lawlessness, youth addiction, and insecurity in mining communities. The Coordinator of NAIMOS, Colonel Dominic Buah, reiterated the Task Force’s determination to restore order and protect Ghana’s natural resources.
Speaking on the broader anti-galamsey campaign during President John Mahama’s recent meeting with civil society organizations (CSOs), Col. Buah described illegal miners as “environmental terrorists,” vowing that his team would “fish out every illegal miner, no matter how remote or powerful their network.”
He added that the fight against galamsey is not merely a law enforcement exercise but also a moral and developmental imperative. President John Dramani Mahama, who recently reaffirmed his government’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal mining, has demanded stronger collaboration from all sectors—especially civil society and traditional authorities—in the renewed national campaign to end galamsey.
Addressing participants at a multi-stakeholder dialogue with CSOs in Accra last week, the President warned that the government’s efforts would fail without collective ownership of the anti-galamsey fight.
He called on civil society organizations to maintain active oversight and keep the government accountable, particularly in ensuring that anti-galamsey operations remain free from political interference and corruption.
Despite broad support for the President’s renewed commitment, some civil society actors have urged caution, noting that the sustainability of the anti-galamsey campaign depends on consistent enforcement and alternative livelihoods for displaced miners.
As the government intensifies its anti-galamsey campaign, the NAIMOS Task Force says it will maintain a nationwide presence to track, dismantle, and neutralize illegal mining operations. The Secretariat confirmed that similar exercises are scheduled for the Ashanti, Eastern, and Central Regions, where galamsey activities remain persistent.
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