Almost 3,000 changfans destroyed, 237 arrested in galamsey fight - Report
Col Dominic Buah, Director of Operations for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), rendered a detailed account of arrests and seizures recorded in ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, at the NAIMOS Editors' Forum and quarterly press briefing at the Press Centre in Accra on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Col Buah said that 94 excavators have been seized and 237 arrests made. He also warned illegal miners to "Dare us and face consequences".
Col Buah disclosed that almost 3,000 changfans have been destroyed. He revealed that the majority of those arrested are foreigners. He highlighted what he described as a strong operational success rate by NAIMOS in tackling galamsey activities, noting a strike rate of 87.7. He said, "Anytime we move to the field, and we meet one of the key parameters, the things we do, the seizures, the arrests, and the destruction, we count it as positive. That determines the strike rate." Operatives have also resorted to immobilising excavators found at illegal mining sites due to logistical challenges. Col Buah added that the presence of heavy-duty equipment at illegal mining sites has significantly reduced in recent operations.
NAIMOS said that seized vehicles are being redirected into official operations after due legal processes. Col Buah explained, "For the vehicles seized, we push them into other legal operations once they are formally seized by the Attorney General's department so that we pull the resources together and get this canker eliminated."
Quick Summary
NAIMOS is working to combat illegal mining - also known as galamsey - in Ghana. Officials have detailed the arrests and seizures that have been made in the ongoing operations.
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