Fight against galamsey: NAIMOS declares war on Atewa Forest destroyers
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has announced the launch of ‘Operation Green Shield’, a special military operation aimed at removing illegal miners from the Atewa Range Forest Reserve in the Eastern Region.
The operation, scheduled to begin in two weeks, will deploy specially trained military personnel to conduct forest operations, followed by sustained patrols and surveillance to prevent illegal miners from returning.
NAIMOS Director of Operations, Col. Kwame Sam Appiah, said the operation would be implemented in three phases: clearing and disrupting illegal mining activities, securing and stabilising the forest reserve, and handing over responsibility to the Forestry Commission for long-term management.
Speaking at the inaugural edition of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ Progress Reports Series on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Col. Appiah said the initiative was designed to eliminate illegal mining in priority areas, prevent renewed access and ensure lasting protection of the critical watershed.
He explained that the ultimate objective was to clear and stabilise identified mining hotspots before gradually transferring routine security responsibilities to Forestry Commission guards.
Protecting critical water resources
Col. Appiah stressed that protecting the Atewa Forest was essential to safeguarding river sources and supporting environmental restoration.
He said the Operation Green Shield model could be extended to other forest reserves, depending on assessed needs, to protect vulnerable ecological areas from illegal mining.
NAIMOS was established on July 23, 2025, by the government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as a centralised, intelligence-led operational hub to coordinate the fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
NAIMOS records 738 operations
Providing an update on the Secretariat’s activities between June 13 and September 30, 2026, Col. Appiah said NAIMOS had conducted 738 operations covering a cumulative distance of 50,662 kilometres.
The operations included reconnaissance missions, mobile and riverine patrols, raids, special interventions and community engagements.
He disclosed that task forces had recovered 74 firearms and 551 rounds of ammunition, while also seizing excavators, vehicles, pumps and other equipment used in illegal mining.
According to him, more than 100 excavators, 1,970 chanfang machines and 863 makeshift structures were destroyed during the operations, disrupting the equipment and infrastructure supporting illegal mining activities.
Suspects arrested during the exercises were handed over to the appropriate authorities for investigation and further action.
NAIMOS vows to intensify galamsey fight
Col. Appiah reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to intensifying its crackdown through coordinated deployments, sustained raids, mobile operations and the establishment of additional forward operating bases.
He warned that illegal mining in rivers, forests, farms and plantations would not be tolerated, adding that enforcement efforts would target both miners and the networks supporting their activities.
He further assured that NAIMOS would continue working with relevant institutions to protect the country’s land and water resources.
Col. Appiah said the success of the campaign would be measured by the continued security of cleared areas, a reduction in illegal mining, progress in prosecuting offenders and measurable environmental recovery.
