President John Dramani Mahama’s renewed commitment to ending illegal mining is increasingly bearing fruit, as the National Anti‑Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) steps up enforcement across Ghana.
In one of its most aggressive crackdowns yet, NAIMOS operations in the Western Region have dismantled nearly 100 galamsey camps in Nzema East, reclaimed stretches of the heavily polluted Bonsa River in Tarkwa‑Nsuaem, and shut down a large mining enclave in Dwira Ashem that reportedly accommodated over 1,000 illegal operators.
Authorities say that, cumulatively, NAIMOS has seized 440 excavators, 1,400 water pumps, and 300 “chanfang” machines.
In the latest campaign alone, 319 makeshift pits and structures were destroyed, 103 chanfangs dismantled, along with numerous generators, motorbikes, and other equipment seized.
President Mahama has reiterated that his government is determined to tackle the illegal mining crisis decisively, and insists that future enforcement will be conducted strictly within existing legal frameworks.
Environmental groups—including Citizen Eye Ghana—have praised the government’s interventions, calling them a positive milestone in the fight to restore the country’s rivers and forests.
Early signs of recovery are reported in water bodies such as the Ankobra and Bonsa Rivers, which have suffered severe pollution from years of unchecked mining.
But while many Ghanaians see a shift from promises to visible results, critics argue that more must be done.
They are calling for sustained action, broader legal reforms, and greater resources to ensure that this momentum does not falter.
By Ebenezer Madugu