Security consultant Richard Kumadoe has called on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to establish a toll-free hotline to aid public reporting of illegal mining activities and expose the financiers behind the operations.
He said a well-coordinated national security response is required to combat the growing sophistication of galamsey networks, whose financiers often evade accountability while local operators face arrest.
“NAIMOS will need to establish a simple toll-free line which is recognisable and identifiable by all, and calls to this number will need to hit the dashboard of the BNI, EOCO, FIC, GoldBod, the Forestry Commission and the EPA”
Richard Kumadoe, Security Consultant
Mr. Kumadoe explained that a unified intelligence channel would enhance collaboration among security institutions and improve the tracing of individuals who finance illegal mining across different regions. According to him, the establishment of such a hotline would create a reliable tool for citizens and security agencies to report illegal mining in real time.
“Once you’re not just arresting the young ones and getting rid of the big fishes, you’ll get the job done,” he added.
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat has confirmed the arrest of 30 suspected illegal miners in separate operations at the Cape Three Points Forest Reserve and other locations within the Western and Western North Regions.
The Secretariat said the latest arrests form part of a nationwide crackdown to curb illegal mining and dismantle operational cells of galamsey syndicates.
According to NAIMOS, more than 1,500 illegal miners have been arrested this year, including two Chinese nationals believed to be financiers of illegal operations. The Secretariat said it also seized six excavators, 65 water-pumping machines, seven chanfang machines, 14 mobile phones, 28 wraps of Indian hemp, and a Toyota Land Cruiser during its most recent operations.
In a statement, NAIMOS said its current operational strategy is designed to “disrupt and disable illegal mining networks” through intelligence-led actions and inter-agency coordination. The task force has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the law and preventing further degradation of Ghana’s forests and river bodies.
Regions Threatened by Galamsey
A recent five-year national security risk assessment, as referenced by Mr. Kumadoe, has revealed that only the Volta and Greater Accra Regions remain free from galamsey activities. He said the findings highlight the widespread threat of inappropriate mining in six of Ghana’s original ten regions, reinforcing the urgency of government intervention.
“Out of the original ten regions, there are only two – Volta and Greater Accra – that do not have galamsey activities or inappropriate mining. There are another two that you have minimal inappropriate mining, which is also of concern. But you have about six regions where there is aggressive inappropriate mining”
Richard Kumadoe, Security Consultant
Mr. Kumadoe stated that the scale of the threat justifies the composition and operational posture of NAIMOS, which has three principal objectives: to disrupt illegal mining activities, to prevent operators from accessing mining sites, and to curtail ongoing operations.
He praised the task force’s efforts so far, citing improved coordination and enforcement. “When we assess what they have done so far, – we can say that we can score them very high,” he stated.
Mr. Kumadoe urged the Mahama-led administration to demonstrate courage by prosecuting politically connected financiers who sponsor illegal mining. He warned that the fight against galamsey would falter if politically protected figures remained beyond the reach of the law.
He added that the government could consider designating certain galamsey-prone areas as restricted security zones to strengthen enforcement capacity and enable the task force to operate with full authority.
Mr. Kumadoe said during recent engagements between President John Dramani Mahama and Civil Society Organisations, several stakeholders proposed declaring a state of emergency in regions affected by illegal mining. Others, he said, suggested stronger punitive measures against repeat offenders.
“You’ll need to look at it and say that if we’re not going with the state of emergency then let’s go with the two – act on a certificate of emergency and declare certain locations a security zone”
Richard Kumadoe, Security Consultant
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