The fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has been stepped up along the Ankobra River, as the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force, in collaboration with the Western Regional Security Council, Western Naval Command, and the Nzema East Blue Water Guards, carried out fresh operations on Wednesday, 17 September 2025.

The simultaneous operations, which stretched from Dwira Ashem through Dominase to Akango in the Nzema East Municipality, targeted illegal mining activities directly on the river and along its banks.

The joint team patrolled, raided, and dismantled several structures erected on the banks, while naval and regional security personnel cleared dredging platforms and other mining setups on the river.

Over the past three weeks, NAIMOS has been sponsoring and leading such coordinated raids with security forces in a sustained effort to eliminate all forms of galamsey on and around the Ankobra River.

The latest operation resulted in significant seizures and demolitions, including:

20 makeshift structures were burnt

10 dredging platforms destroyed

20 chanfangs (floating machines) destroyed

4 motorbikes seized

15 pumping machines seized

2 solar panels seized

1 standing fan seized

1 television set seized

3 gas cylinders seized

Officials described the exercise as part of a wider crackdown aimed at restoring the health of the river and protecting livelihoods that depend on it.

The task force has pledged to sustain the momentum of operations until illegal mining activities are completely eradicated from the Ankobra River and its surrounding communities.