The fight against illegal mining, or galamsey, took a bold new turn today as the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operational Support (NAIMOS) issued a stern warning to illegal miners and their financiers, vowing to “smoke them out” in a renewed nationwide operation.
Speaking at a high-level event hosted by President John Mahama at the Jubilee House, the NAIMOS leader delivered a fiery address declaring illegal miners “prime enemies of the state” and promising they would be dealt with decisively.
“With your permission, Mr. President, I want to send a clear warning to illegal miners, their assigns, and financiers, you are the prime enemies of the state, and you will be treated as such,” he declared to applause from the gathering.
According to the NAIMOS leader, more than 400 specially trained officers have already been deployed to sensitive mining-prone areas across the country as part of a broader strategic operation to root out illegal mining activities.
“There will be no room to escape or hide. NAIMOS will smoke them out. There is no resting place for them,” he emphasized.
This announcement comes in the wake of growing national concern about the devastating environmental, social, and economic impact of galamsey on Ghana’s water bodies, forests, and communities.
The NAIMOS leader painted a hopeful picture of the future, noting that with sustained efforts and increased deployment, the country will soon witness a return to natural beauty: “They should get ready and be assured that very soon our waters will turn blue, and our forests will turn green.”
He emphasized that NAIMOS is already close to many illegal mining bases and that there will be “no hiding place” for perpetrators.
Today’s address forms part of President Mahama’s high-level stakeholder engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs), aimed at charting a collaborative path forward in the national galamsey fight.
NAIMOS, set up as part of the broader national security and environmental protection response, has pledged to intensify boots-on-the-ground actions, leveraging intelligence, community collaboration, and logistical deployment to make illegal mining unattractive and dangerous for offenders.
