Ghana’s National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in collaboration with the Nzema East Blue Water Guards, has commenced a large-scale enforcement operation targeting illegal mining activities along the Ankobra River in the Western Region.
The intelligence-led operation began on Sunday, 1 March 2026, at Gwira Banso, a community identified as a hotspot for illegal dredging activities on the river. Upon arrival at the riverbank, the joint task force observed multiple dredging platforms mounted with chanfan machines positioned within the riverbed. However, no operators were present at the site.
Preliminary intelligence gathered from local sources indicated that the illegal miners had fled the area in anticipation of the task force’s advance, in an attempt to evade arrest. The joint team subsequently moved to secure and dismantle all equipment found at the location.
In line with enforcement protocols, the task force destroyed fifty-two (52) dredging chanfan platforms and twelve (12) gold washing platforms discovered at the site. Additionally, sixty-six (66) chanfan machines and four (4) motorbikes used to facilitate the illegal operations were rendered inoperable through controlled burning.
Large quantities of bamboo structures used in constructing the dredging platforms, together with water hoses and other auxiliary mining materials, were also destroyed to prevent their reuse.
The operation forms part of a sustained nationwide strategy to dismantle the logistics, equipment and infrastructure that support illegal mining on Ghana’s water bodies. The Ankobra River has been one of the most affected rivers, suffering significant pollution and ecological degradation due to unregulated dredging activities.
From Erastus Asare Donkor
