President John Dramani Mahama says his government has stepped up the fight against illegal mining with the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NIMOS), which now serves as the central command for coordinating nationwide efforts.
Speaking at a media encounter at the Jubilee House, the President revealed that the coordinated crackdown involving security agencies and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has yielded significant results.
“Through the work of NIMOS, 440 excavators have been seized, over 1,400 arrests made, and more than 300 chamfering machines confiscated and destroyed,” Mahama said.
“This is not just enforcement—it is about protecting our lands, our rivers, and the future of our people.”
Confiscated Equipment Repurposed
The President disclosed that over 900 water pumps seized from illegal mining sites have been handed to the Ministry of Agriculture for distribution to farmers for irrigation.
“By redirecting seized equipment to productive use, we are not only dismantling illegal mining operations but also empowering our farmers,” he noted.
Forest Reserves Recovered
Out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves, 44 have suffered destruction from illegal mining, nine of which had become “no-go zones” due to the presence of armed groups.
Mahama confirmed that all nine have since been repossessed and restored to state protection.
However, he expressed concern over fresh incursions.
“Over the weekend, the Jemira Forest Reserve and the Anriafutu section of the Orphanage Shelterbelts were re-invaded by illegal miners after they had been handed back to the Forestry Commission.
There military, working with NIMOS, is moving to repossess them and establish a permanent presence to prevent re-incursion,” he said.
Strengthening Security Presence
The government has already recruited, trained, and deployed 90 personnel in the Western and Savannah regions to conduct daily operations along major rivers. These “community vanguards,” the President said, are helping to ward off illegal mining activities.
An additional 1,020 personnel will be deployed by the end of 2025, bringing the total force to 2,000 blue-water guards.
Mahama added that the next phase of the anti-illegal mining campaign would focus on restoring polluted rivers.
“We are preparing to dechemicalize and restore our waterbodies to their pristine state. Feasibility studies for these critical restoration efforts are already underway,” he assured.
