The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has reinforced its relentless offensive against illegal mining, completing another high-impact operation across the Eastern Region on Sunday, 8 December 2025.
The latest sweep, which spanned more than 12 hours, underscored government’s growing determination to halt the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies.
From dawn until late evening, NAIMOS operatives conducted coordinated patrols in the Atiwa West District and the Birim Central Municipality—two areas increasingly plagued by persistent galamsey activity.
During the mission, the task force discovered several active illegal mining sites and moved swiftly to neutralise the machinery driving the devastation.
A major breakthrough occurred along the Akyem Akropong corridor, where officials uncovered an extensive roadside mining enclave hosting four excavators and five washing plants.
Two of the excavators were found fully operational, prompting officers to remove their monitors and control units on the spot to render them unusable. The remaining two machines had already been partially stripped by illegal miners attempting to evade detection.
At approximately 16:10 hours, a second discovery was made in Akyem Oda within Birim Central. There, the task force disabled another excavator stationed directly beside the main road.
In total, three excavators were fully immobilised across both locations. The machines were left on-site, as the operation could not secure low-bed transport for evacuation.
Environmental assessments conducted during the raid painted a grim picture. Vast portions of land—estimated at more than four acres—had been scarred by deep, contaminated pits.
Some of the water-filled craters stretched as wide as 200 metres and sank about eight feet deep, posing immediate dangers to nearby streams, farmlands and residents.
NAIMOS intelligence suggests that illegal miners continue to adapt their tactics, often withdrawing briefly during enforcement activities and repositioning equipment only a short distance away.
This pattern, according to officials, reinforces the need for sustained pressure rather than isolated raids.
Nonetheless, NAIMOS reports that its stepped-up visibility and rapid mobilisation strategy are rattling galamsey operators across the region.
Many miners are said to be abandoning sites mid-operation, interrupting supply chains and weakening the networks that facilitate illegal gold production.
The Secretariat maintains that its work is far from complete. With critical rivers such as the Birim and Ayensu still heavily threatened, NAIMOS says prolonged field deployment remains essential.
It has reiterated that illegal mining is not only an attack on the environment but a severe public health hazard, contaminating food and water sources with dangerous chemicals.
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