A joint anti-illegal mining operation has destroyed about 70 makeshift mining structures during sustained patrols along the Ankobrah River as authorities intensify efforts to protect the water body from pollution.
The operation was conducted on Tuesday by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Taskforce in collaboration with the Nzema East Blue Water Guards in parts of the Nzema East District in the Western Region of Ghana.
According to officials, the operation formed part of ongoing riverine patrols aimed at disrupting illegal mining activities—commonly known as galamsey—that have contributed to the heavy pollution of the Ankobra River.
Long-Range Patrol Operation
Personnel deployed by NAIMOS embarked on the patrol at about 9:50 a.m., conducting a long-range operation along sections of the river.
Earlier at about 7:15 a.m., the taskforce departed from its patrol base to Wiaso, a community within the district, where officers regrouped at the riverbank before launching the operation.
The team was divided into three units. Two patrol groups boarded operational boats to monitor activity directly on the river, while a third support unit remained stationed along the riverbanks to assist in the operation.
Officials said the patrol was intended to prevent illegal miners from reorganizing their operations along the river and to stop further environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.
Illegal Mining Structures Destroyed
During the patrol, the taskforce discovered that many illegal miners had already vacated their mining sites and dismantled some of their equipment following the sustained presence of security personnel in the area.
However, the team identified approximately 70 abandoned makeshift structures along sections of the river. The structures were subsequently destroyed to prevent their future reuse by illegal miners.
Equipment Seized
The taskforce also confiscated several pieces of mining equipment believed to have been used in illegal mining operations. Items seized included:
- One water pumping machine
- Two generator sets
- One cutting machine
Miners Remove Remaining Equipment
Further observations along the operational stretch revealed that illegal miners whose equipment had previously been destroyed had begun removing their remaining structures from the river.
Officials said this was particularly noticeable in communities such as Gwira Eshiem, Banso, Akitipo and Akango Dualle, where remnants of earlier mining activities had been cleared away.
The miners had also removed several burnt “Chanfang” machines—equipment commonly used in illegal alluvial gold mining—from the river.
Warning to Illegal Miners
The Director of Operations for the NAIMOS taskforce said the patrols form part of a sustained strategy to restore and protect the Ankobra River from illegal mining activities.
He warned that the operations would continue and urged illegal miners to vacate the river belt.
According to him, any equipment or structures found along the river during future patrols would be destroyed as part of the ongoing environmental protection campaign.
The Ankobra River is one of several major rivers in Ghana affected by illegal mining activities, which authorities say have severely polluted water sources and damaged ecosystems in mining communities across the country.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
