Colonel Eric Amponsah Buah, Coordinator of the National Anti‑Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), has called for intensified public support against illegal mining, citing threats to water bodies and national security.
“We want to ask ourselves, don’t we know we are killing ourselves? That’s the existential nature of the problem,” he stated.
Colonel Buah urged citizens, the media and stakeholders to “join hands and campaign” against the menace, adding that success in the fight would be measured by the restoration of clean water bodies.
He warned that current pollution levels could result in severe water shortages and increased treatment costs.
Colonel Buah said NAIMOS operations were intelligence‑led, relying on informants, including traditional leaders and community members, for real‑time information to support targeted interventions.
The Secretariat, he explained, collaborated with the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service and the National Intelligence Bureau to enhance operational effectiveness.
Colonel Buah said petitions from communities, chiefs and civil society organisations were assessed by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and forwarded to NAIMOS for action.
He noted that several excavators, weapons, and other equipment had been seized during operations, assuring that all confiscated items remained intact and would be accounted for by the appropriate authorities.
He expressed concern about the proliferation of illegal weapons at galamsey sites, describing it as a major national security risk.
“There are several weapons in the space… and that is a huge risk because any provocation can trigger violence,” he said, adding that personnel would act in self‑defence when threatened.
Colonel Buah said some foreign nationals involved in illegal mining had been arrested and processed in accordance with Ghanaian laws, with many deported and blacklisted.
He also noted the worrying presence of minors at some sites, saying such cases were referred to social protection agencies.
On environmental recovery, Colonel Buah said NAIMOS was supervising reclamation works in degraded areas, including over 800 acres of land at Manso‑Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region, while seized equipment was being repurposed for agriculture.
He said that permanent deployments had begun across key mining hotspots, with intensified operations along major river bodies, including the Ankobra and Pra.
Colonel Buah warned illegal miners to desist and take advantage of Government’s planned cooperative mining schemes or face strict enforcement measures.
“They remain the number one enemy of the state, and we will pursue them wherever they are,” he said.
He urged the media to continue supporting the campaign against illegal mining by providing credible information to aid operations.
NAIMOS is a government‑coordinated operational body under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources tasked with combating illegal mining in Ghana.
Its operations combine intelligence gathering, community engagement, enforcement, and environmental restoration in collaboration with security agencies and local stakeholders.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com