Omanghana
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat has launched a coordinated riverine and mobile patrol operation along the Bia River as part of efforts to stop illegal mining and protect the heavily polluted waterway.
The operation targeted active mining sites at Krokosue in the Juaboso District and Patakro in the Bodi District of the Western North Region.
During the exercise, NAIMOS personnel discovered more than 20 active mining pits situated along the Bia River and its tributaries. The sites contained industrial-scale equipment being used to extract gold and wash mineral-bearing soil close to the riverbanks.
Investigators found floating dredging platforms, high-capacity water pumps and heavy earth-moving machinery at the locations. Waste and sediment generated by the operations were reportedly being discharged directly into the river, causing extensive environmental damage.
NAIMOS operatives immobilized three excavators and removed critical components to prevent the machinery from being used again. Fourteen chanfang machines, which are floating platforms commonly used for dredging and gold extraction, were also destroyed at the sites.
The team confiscated four motorbikes, a pump-action firearm and a large water pump during the initial phase of the operation.
Two additional large water pumps, three more motorbikes and four makeshift structures used as accommodation by the miners were subsequently destroyed. The measures were intended to dismantle the camps and prevent operators from quickly returning to resume their activities.
The presence of a firearm at one of the sites has reinforced concerns about the security risks associated with illegal mining operations. Authorities have repeatedly warned that some galamsey networks possess weapons and operate with organized logistical support.
The Bia River intervention forms part of a broader intelligence-led campaign being conducted by NAIMOS across six regions affected by illegal mining between late July and August 2026.
Similar operations have targeted mining activities along the Ankobra, Torya, Tano, Butre and Birim rivers, where mechanized mining and dredging have contributed to severe water pollution and the destruction of surrounding ecosystems.
Illegal mining remains one of Ghana’s most serious environmental challenges. The activity contaminates rivers, destroys farmlands and threatens communities that depend on affected water bodies for domestic use and agriculture.
State authorities are seeking to move beyond occasional raids by maintaining a more permanent security presence along high-risk river corridors. The proposed strategy would involve sustained patrols, intelligence gathering and rapid responses to attempts by miners to return to cleared locations.
NAIMOS has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources and warned individuals financing or participating in illegal mining that enforcement operations will continue across affected areas.
Source: Omanghana
