A late night operation by the National Anti Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat has led to the arrest of seven suspected illegal miners, including two minors, after authorities moved to stop the pollution of the Ankobrah River at Ayiem Juabo in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.
The operation was carried out on Wednesday, January 14, at about 8:30 p.m., following intelligence reports that illegal mining activities upstream were heavily contaminating the river, a vital source of water for several communities.
Officers targeted mining camps operating under the cover of darkness along the riverbank. According to officials, the activities posed a serious threat to the Ankobrah River and the surrounding environment.
Those arrested included two juveniles, Numbor Kwasi Musah, aged 16, and Benja Nakura Abdul Wahid, aged 15, a development that has renewed concerns about the growing involvement of minors in illegal mining.
The other suspects were identified as Kombate Indabre, 20, Mawuli Boni, 29, Justice Mensah, 40, Bright Kwasi Nkrumah, 35, and Kwabena Lambon, 30.
During the raid, officers seized nine water pumping machines, mining trays and pans, charms, and mobile phones believed to have been used to coordinate the illegal activities. All makeshift structures at the site were pulled down, and the equipment was destroyed to prevent the miners from returning to the area.
The suspects were handed over to the Ayiem Juabo Police Station to assist with investigations and possible prosecution. Seized machinery was transported to the NAIMOS headquarters in Accra for safekeeping and further action.
NAIMOS is a national inter agency enforcement body tasked with coordinating Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. It brings together personnel from the security services and relevant state institutions to enforce mining laws, protect water bodies and forest reserves, and support the restoration of degraded environments.
Illegal mining continues to threaten water security, public health, and environmental sustainability, particularly in mining communities in the Western Region, prompting intensified enforcement actions by the government and its agencies.
Story By: Sheila Otuo-Baffour
