Also known as: NAMOS
Government task force conducting operations against illegal mining across Ghana's regions, recovering equipment and firearms since January 2026.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has dismantled an organised multinational galamsey syndicate operating within the communities of Ntabanu and Nyameadom in Mankraso, in the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region. …
NAIMOS bust galamsey syndicate at Ntabanu and Nyameadom, 7 arrestedJoy Online
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in a joint operation with the Blue Water Guards, has dealt a heavy blow to an active galamsey enclave along the Oda River corridor in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region. …
NAIMOS, Blue Water Guards arrest 8, seize excavators in night raid at Mpatasie and OdahoThe Chronicle
A major anti-illegal mining operation in the Western Region has led to the arrest of 49 suspected illegal miners following an armed ambush on a National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) taskforce team stationed in Nzema East. …
49 Suspected Illegal Miners Arrested After Armed Attack on NAIMOS Team in Western RegionThe Chronicle
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested a man said to be an elder of The Church of Pentecost for allegedly operating an illegal mining site at Akyem Morso near Juaso in the Asante Akyem South District of the Ashanti Region. …
Pentecost Elder Arrested For Allegedly Doing GalamseyJoy Online
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has apprehended a foreman of an illegal small-scale mining site at Akyem Morso, near Juaso in the Asante Akim South District of the Ashanti Region. …
Church elder arrested as alleged galamsey foreman in Ashanti regionJoy Online
Small-scale miners at Manso Kaniago in the Amansie South District have accused some “unauthorised” security personnel of using the name of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to extort money from them at mining sites. …
Manso Kaniago miners protest extortion by ‘fake’ security operativesJoy Online
… The miners accuse the suspects of falsely using the name of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to demand money and seize equipment at mining sites. …
Manso Kaniago miners protest alleged extortion by ‘fake’ security operativesJoy Online
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested two individuals, a man and a woman, suspected of being key operators in illegal mining activities along the Offin River in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region. …
NAIMOS arrests two alleged galamsey ‘kingpins’ in Offin River raid at Atwima MponuaJoy Online
Eighteen individuals have been arrested by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) following an intelligence-led operation targeting illegal mining activities within the Cape Three Points Forest Reserve in the Agona Ahanta District of the Western Region. …
NAIMOS cracks down on illegal miners in Cape Three Points forest raidFifteen suspected illegal miners, including an alleged kingpin, were arrested and three excavators seized during a joint security operation near Sanso Methodist School in Obuasi after a viral video exposed the site. The miners had been operating for about two weeks before the operation was launched.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Fifteen suspected illegal miners, including an alleged kingpin, were arrested and three excavators seized during a joint security operation near Sanso Methodist School in Obuasi after a viral video exposed the site. The miners had been operating for about two weeks before the operation was launched.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) arrested 19 suspected illegal miners at Mpohor Fiase in the Western Region following reports of galamsey activities. During the operation on July 29, officers destroyed mining equipment including 16 chanfang machines, nine water pumps, and three temporary structures, and recovered a pump-action shotgun with ammunition and GH¢120,000 in cash.
30 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat arrested 19 suspected illegal miners during an operation on July 29 at Mpohor Fiase in the Western Region following community complaints. The task force destroyed 16 chanfang machines, nine water pumps, and three makeshift structures, and recovered a pump-action shotgun and four rounds of ammunition from one suspect.
30 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat arrested 19 suspected illegal miners during an operation on July 29 in the Western Region, following reports of galamsey activities near Mpohor Fiase Police Station. The task force destroyed 16 chanfang machines, nine water pumps, three makeshift structures, and rendered an excavator inoperable; a pump-action shotgun and ammunition were also seized.
30 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Illegal miners have returned to 100 hectares of land around Obuasi Airstrip that AngloGold Ashanti released to the community in 2018 for agricultural projects. The Obuasi West MCE called for the area to be designated for regulated community mining to integrate miners into a legal framework, while the Ashanti Regional Reclamation Committee recovered three repaired excavators being used for illegal mining near the airport.
29 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey has rejected the government's assessment that "the era of impunity is over" in illegal mining, citing uneven regional enforcement and raising unverified allegations of corruption within NAIMOS. The Coalition credited government action on Achimota Forest Reserve protection and charges against the "Atronsu 5," but argued conditions in areas including the Eastern Region contradict claims of progress.
21 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey disputes the government's assertion that the era of impunity is over in illegal mining, arguing that persistent lawlessness across mining hotspots and inconsistent enforcement demonstrate the battle remains unresolved. The coalition acknowledged progress by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources but insists that sustained, uniform enforcement across all regions and against all operators is needed to protect forests, rivers and mining communities.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat dismantled a galamsey operation at Ahwiren in the Bekwai Municipality on July 17, 2026, disabling six excavators, destroying pumping equipment, and recovering two Adler pump-action shotguns with 19 rounds of ammunition. The operation targeted an illegal mining site on approximately 20 acres of farmland along the headwaters of the Subin River.
18 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Security agencies arrested 465 suspects and seized 112 pump-action guns, excavators and other mining equipment during a six-month nationwide crackdown on illegal mining between January and June 2026, as authorities work to protect Ghana's forests, rivers and mineral resources.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Dr Ken Ashigbey, convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, says the government's anti-galamsey campaign is being undermined because some state officials are not adequately supporting enforcement efforts, and he has called for MMDCEs and other state representatives to be held accountable for enforcing the law in their jurisdictions.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Minerals Commission and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat conducted an operation at a site in Ada's Tsopoli community where suspected operators fled before the team arrived. Preliminary checks showed the site was operating without the required licence and officials found no evidence the operators had obtained authorisation to undertake sand-winning activities.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Paramount Chief of Western Nzema has endorsed rCOMSDEP, a government programme to promote responsible mining and end illegal mining. He welcomed the initiative but warned against using it as cover for irresponsible mining and said his area will not permit mining until the right framework is in place.
27 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Artisanal and small-scale miners have supplied about 99.5 percent of all gold purchased by the Ghana Gold Board since its establishment, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem disclosed in Parliament. GoldBod purchased 135.843 metric tonnes of gold between January 2025 and May 2026, with 135.221 metric tonnes originating from the ASM sector.
25 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Ghana Gold Board has licensed 1,184 gold-buying entities as of 31 May, comprising aggregators, self-financing aggregators, and tier 1 and 2 buyers, all required to source from licensed miners and sell to the Board. Between January 2025 and May 2026, the Board purchased 135.843 metric tonnes of gold, with the vast majority from the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.
24 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko told Parliament that from January 2025 to May 2026, the Gold Board spent approximately US$16.1 billion on gold purchases, with US$9.8 billion expended in 2025. The government is shifting Ghana's gold economy from an unregulated system to a structured, transparent one where gold is properly accounted for and benefits the national economy.
24 June 2026 · Joy Online →
An NPP MP and Ranking Member of Parliament's Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources calls for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat to be formalized through a Legislative Instrument to strengthen institutional mandate, accountability, and continuity in fighting illegal mining across government changes.
24 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Western Regional Police intervened over the weekend to prevent a forcible takeover of the Bondae mine concession in the Western Region, allegedly led by a former NDC National Organiser along with Chinese nationals and men believed to be soldiers. The dispute centers on a concession subject to ongoing litigation at the Sekondi High Court, where Long Shine Mining Ghana Limited has challenged a contract termination.
22 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
A top government official has been accused of leading Chinese nationals and men suspected to be military personnel in an alleged attempt to forcibly take over a disputed mining concession in the Western Region while a legal dispute over the site remains before the Sekondi High Court.
22 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
Ghana's Parliamentary Minority Caucus has endorsed the Presbyterian Church of Ghana's nationwide anti-galamsey campaign, including a proposed "Red Sunday" observance, calling for a more institutionalised government approach to combating illegal mining and environmental degradation.
18 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
Mining company Adamus Resources has rejected allegations that one of its security officers shot and killed a suspected illegal miner at its AU Field concession in Nzema East District, stating its security personnel do not carry firearms and media reports linking the company to the incident are false and unsupported by evidence.
17 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) handed over 141 seized firearms and 1,864 cartridges of ammunition to the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons for destruction to prevent illicit weapons from re-entering circulation. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak reaffirmed the government's commitment to national security at the handover ceremony.
12 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Interior Minister disclosed that NAIMOS has handed over illegal firearms seized during anti-galamsey operations to the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons for documentation and destruction. The Minister pledged that seized equipment including excavators would be handled transparently and according to due process, with details made publicly available.
12 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
Colonel K. S. Appiah has taken over as Director of Operations at the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in a leadership transition aimed at strengthening operational efficiency in the fight against illegal mining. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources described the handover as a transfer of a national mission to protect Ghana's rivers, forests and mineral resources.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Global Media Foundation has criticised the government for indecisive efforts in fighting illegal mining, arguing that despite the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), galamsey continues to devastate farmlands, water bodies, and forests. The foundation called for a more aggressive and coordinated approach to tackling illegal mining and environmental crimes.
8 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has submitted a new mining bill to Cabinet that would transfer licensing approval powers from central agencies like the EPA and Minerals Commission to newly established District Mining Committees, giving local communities greater involvement in mining governance and licensing decisions.
8 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Environmental campaigners and youth groups have appealed to President Mahama to reconsider the reported reassignment of Col. Dominic Buah, Director of Operations at the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, arguing the move would undermine anti-galamsey efforts and reflect waning government commitment to combating illegal mining.
29 May 2026 · The Chronicle →
Ghana's National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) conducted a pre-dawn raid at Sanfo Adiam in Amansie East District, Ashanti Region, on 24 May 2026, arresting two Chinese nationals operating an illegal gold mining enclave. The operators had diverted sections of the Dankai River into an artificial dam for unlawful extraction; several Ghanaian workers fled during the operation, with one spotted carrying a pump-action firearm.
25 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has criticised the NDC government's handling of illegal mining, arguing there is "no fight" against galamsey and pointing to heavily polluted water bodies as evidence of lack of progress.
25 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Tension has erupted at Gwira Ampansie in Nzema East Municipality after a 46-year-old man, the biological brother of the chief, was allegedly shot by armed men linked to an illegal mining operation. The shooting occurred while the victim was being sent by the chief to invite mining company leaders to the palace over concerns about illegal activities on communal land.
24 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has rejected claims that National Security operatives aided illegal mining on the Ankobra River, describing the allegations made by arrested suspects as "completely false, misleading and without any merit." The Ministry said preliminary investigations found the claims to be untrue and noted that illegal miners often make baseless accusations against state institutions to evade accountability.
22 May 2026 · The Chronicle →