NAIMOS taskforce raids Ankobra River

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has carried out a daring riverine operation along the Ankobra River in the Western Region, dealing a decisive blow to galamsey operators who have been degrading the waterway for years.

The operation, which was executed in collaboration with the Nzema East Blue Water Guards, covered nearly ten kilometres of the Ankobra stretch — from Gwira Eshiam to Anyinase — an area notorious for heavy illegal mining activity.

The task force’s mission was clear: to reclaim and restore one of the most polluted and ecologically vital rivers.

When the team arrived, they were met with shocking evidence of environmental destruction.

At “Cocoa Ase” near Gwira Banso, miners had set up extensive dredging operations directly in the riverbed.

Upon seeing the uniformed officers approaching, the illegal miners fled, abandoning their tools and equipment in haste.

The task force wasted no time. In a dramatic show of resolve, the operatives torched over 100 makeshift wooden shelters used as living quarters and workstations by the miners.

They also destroyed seven heavy-duty Chanfang dredging machines and confiscated a large cache of equipment — including 23 water pumping machines, gas cylinders, shovels, and even a satellite dish, which investigators believe was being used for communication and entertainment at the camp.

A Hyundai excavator found at Abrodiem was rendered inoperative after its hydraulic pump and gear lever were removed to prevent future use.

The team also uncovered a shocking diversion of the Kamei Stream, a key tributary of the Ankobra, which had been blocked and redirected to facilitate illegal mining.

The task force immediately reopened the stream, restoring its natural flow.

Further investigations led officers to a nearby repair workshop, where over 50 water pumping machines were seized and destroyed on-site to ensure they could not be reused in illegal mining activities.

Speaking after the operation, a senior NAIMOS official emphasized that this was only the beginning of a larger nationwide crackdown aimed at protecting the rivers from further destruction.

“This is a warning to all illegal miners — vacate the Ankobra River and all other riverbanks now. We will not rest until every single illegal operation is dismantled,” the official declared.

The Ankobra River, which flows through several mining communities in the Western Region, has long suffered from heavy pollution caused by galamsey.

Over the years, the river’s once-clear waters have turned murky brown due to chemical contamination and siltation, threatening aquatic life and the livelihoods of communities that depend on it for drinking water, fishing, and farming.