The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has uncovered and destroyed a sophisticated network of illegal mining operations along the River Pra in the Eastern Region.
The operation, which took place on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, around 9:30 a.m., was conducted in collaboration with the Akyem-Oda Blue Water Guards. The intelligence-led joint task force targeted illegal miners operating between Ofoase Awona and Nsese—two communities along the River Pra in the Akyemansa District.
Despite existing local security, intelligence, and administrative structures, the illegal miners had been operating with brazen disregard for national environmental laws, causing significant pollution to the River Pra and contributing to the shutdown of some water treatment facilities.
Under strict secrecy, the task force’s mission was to verify, disrupt, and destroy the infrastructure and equipment used by the galamsey operators. Personnel of NAIMOS and the Blue Water Guards trekked approximately fourteen (14) kilometres on foot through cocoa plantations to reach the banks of the River Pra.
Upon arrival, the team encountered about fifty (50) illegal miners actively working on the river. The miners, upon seeing the task force, abandoned their operations and fled across the river to the opposite bank near Nsese to avoid arrest.
The team subsequently dismantled and destroyed the equipment used in the illegal operations. In total, seventy-five (75) dredging Changfang platforms, fifty (50) gold-washing platforms, and one hundred and fifty (150) Changfang machines were destroyed. Several pipelines and water hoses connected directly to the river were also dismantled and burnt.
After the operation, the NAIMOS task force engaged with the local community to educate residents on the dangers of illegal mining and its impact on water bodies, health, and livelihoods. Community members expressed appreciation to NAIMOS and called for sustained operations to protect their environment and restore the quality of their water sources.
The discovery of such well-organized illegal mining networks in remote areas underscores serious security and governance concerns. Authorities have emphasized the need to strengthen administrative and security frameworks in these communities to deter further activities by such emboldened criminal networks.
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