The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has dealt a significant blow to illegal mining activities in the Ashanti Region, seizing heavy-duty excavators and pump-action guns during a weekend crackdown along the River Offin.
In a two-day operation spanning February 14 and 15, the NAIMOS Taskforce targeted notorious galamsey sites at Edwinase in the Bekwai Municipality and Wromanso in the Amansie Central District.
According to a statement from the Secretariat, the operation on Saturday at Edwinase saw miners flee upon spotting the approaching taskforce.
At the first site, personnel destroyed washing plants, a motorcycle, and a tricycle. An industrial pumping machine and several makeshift structures were set ablaze.
The team immobilised a Sany excavator by removing its monitor and other critical components. One pump-action gun, along with 14 BB cartridges, was also recovered.
At a second location in Edwinase, the task force burnt more structures and seized two additional pump-action guns, three pumping machines, and a radiator. Two Lingong excavators were confiscated and transported to the NAIMOS equipment lodgement in Kumasi.
The haul from Saturday’s operations included three excavators, three pump-action guns, three pumping machines, a radiator, and ammunition.
The task force resumed its offensive on Sunday along the Offin River, targeting sites at Wromanso. The area reportedly showed signs of extensive environmental degradation, with destroyed farmlands, polluted water bodies, and abandoned mining pits posing hazards to locals.
Miners again fled the scene as authorities moved in. The team destroyed several small and industrial pumping machines and dismantled the changfang machines operating directly on the river. The operation also led to the seizure of two Sany excavators, one XCMG excavator, and one wheel loader, all of which were impounded and sent to Kumasi.
Sunday’s operation concluded around 9:00 p.m., with officials noting that the sustained presence of the task force had forced the abandonment of several other illegal mining sites in the vicinity.
Looking ahead, the NAIMOS Secretariat has indicated plans to intensify its campaign in the region. It is currently appealing for enhanced logistical support, specifically low-bed trucks for transporting seized equipment, as well as speed boats and life jackets, to improve operational effectiveness in the fight against illegal mining.
