The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has confiscated 50 chanfang machines and other equipment used in illegal mining activities along the Ankobra River in the Western Region.
The operation, carried out on Friday, August 22, 2025, was a joint exercise involving NAIMOS, the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, and the Blue Water Guards. The team conducted a sweep through the Abelebo and Akango communities in the Nzema East Municipality, where illegal mining activities have been rampant.
According to NAIMOS, the raid was triggered by the alarming rate of environmental destruction along the Ankobra River and its adjoining communities. Acting on intelligence from local informants and drone surveillance by the Blue Water Guards, the task force observed several illegal miners operating in the area. However, the miners fled upon sighting the security team.
The task force subsequently seized and destroyed fifty (50) chanfang machines, polytanks, generators, pipelines, and other mining tools. Several makeshift structures erected along the riverbanks and used as shelters by the miners were also set ablaze. Additional items, including refrigerators, a motorbike, PVC pipes, and excavator parts abandoned at the sites, were taken into custody.
Confirming the operation, Joyce Asiedu, Administrator of NAIMOS, reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to working with the Blue Water Guards and other stakeholders to curb illegal mining and safeguard Ghana’s water bodies.
