The Minister for Government Communication, Hon. Felix Ofosu Kwakye, has revealed that a joint security task force from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Squad (NAIMOS) has successfully carried out a major operation in the Oda Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region, targeting illegal mining activities that continue to threaten the nation’s environment and water bodies.
In a Facebook post on Friday, the Minister announced that the special anti-galamsey unit stormed the forest reserve earlier this week after receiving intelligence reports about heavily armed groups engaged in illegal mining operations in the area. The coordinated raid led to the arrest of several suspects believed to be behind the illegal activities.
According to Hon. Ofosu Kwakye, the task force not only apprehended the culprits but also seized large sums of cash believed to be bribe money allegedly used to influence security personnel and local authorities to turn a blind eye to the operations. The Minister emphasized that such funds would be treated as evidence in ongoing investigations.
During the operation, the team destroyed a number of makeshift structures that served as temporary shelters for the illegal miners. Several mining equipment, including excavators, generators, water pumps, and washing plants, were also dismantled and set ablaze to prevent future use.
Hon. Ofosu Kwakye commended the NAIMOS team for their bravery and commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources despite threats from armed groups. He reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, stressing that no individual or group will be spared if found culpable.
“The fight against illegal mining is a national duty. We will not relent until every inch of our forest reserves and river bodies is safe from destruction,” the Minister stated.
