Ghana Anti-Mining Task Force Arrests 28, Destroys 29 Chanfang Machines in Akango Raid

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested 28 suspected illegal mining operators and destroyed 29 chanfang machines in a major enforcement operation at Akango in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, as authorities escalate a nationwide crackdown on mining activities encroaching into public spaces.

The raid targeted an illegal mining site where excavation had extended dangerously close to a public road, raising concerns about the safety of road users and the unauthorized use of public infrastructure for mining purposes.

According to NAIMOS, the task force initially detained approximately 195 individuals as personnel moved to secure the site and dismantle the operation. Following preliminary screening, 28 individuals identified as suspected foremen and machine owners were arrested and handed over to the Axim Police Station for further investigation.

The task force also destroyed 37 water pumps, five motorbikes, and a tricycle found at the site. Before destroying the equipment, personnel directed the miners to remove their personal belongings from the affected area.

A SUSTAINED CAMPAIGN

The Akango raid forms part of a broader, intelligence-led strategy by NAIMOS, which was established in June 2025 under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to coordinate Ghana's fight against illegal mining, locally known as galamsey. The secretariat operates through a unified command structure bringing together the military, police, immigration, and intelligence services.

The Western Region has been a focal point of these operations. Just days before the Akango raid, NAIMOS conducted a separate operation at Eshaem in the same Nzema East Municipality, destroying 28 chanfang machines and 19 water pumps. In that operation, authorities also intercepted a truck transporting 22 brand-new chanfang machines, underscoring an expanded strategy to target the supply chains that sustain illegal mining, not just the miners themselves.

The secretariat has reported significant operational metrics. Between July 2025 and March 2026, NAIMOS conducted 122 operations leading to 237 arrests, including 144 foreign nationals, and destroyed 2,647 chanfang platforms. More recent figures covering June to September 2026 indicate that approximately 1,970 changfans and 863 makeshift structures were destroyed across nine operational zones during that period.

EXPANDING OPERATIONS

The enforcement actions in the Western Region are unfolding alongside the expansion of NAIMOS's mandate. The secretariat has been executing "Operation Water Shield," which began along the Birim River before extending to the Ankobra River, with plans to cover two additional major water bodies before the end of the year. A dedicated riverine unit is being developed in collaboration with the Ghana Navy to sustain patrols and prevent miners from returning to cleared areas.

A separate initiative, "Operation Green Shield," is targeting illegal mining in the Atiwa Forest Reserve, where a military-backed operation recently resulted in a fatal exchange of gunfire with suspected miners.

LOOKING AHEAD

NAIMOS has warned that it will sustain intelligence-led patrols and follow-up operations in the Nzema East area to prevent cleared sites from being reoccupied. The secretariat also indicated that investigations would extend beyond the arrested operators to identify and pursue financiers, equipment owners, and other individuals supporting the illegal mining activities.

The operation at Akango underscores the growing challenge posed by illegal mining activities that increasingly encroach on roads, farmlands, and settlements, rather than being confined to remote forest reserves or riverbanks. Authorities have framed the destruction of equipment and the pursuit of supply networks as essential to preventing the immediate resumption of mining once enforcement teams withdraw.