NAIMOS Boosts Military Presence in Ghana

Ghana's anti-mining body is increasing its military presence in the Western Region after securing pledges from local traditional and administrative leaders.

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The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) plans to send more troops to Ghana's Western Region to tackle illegal mining.
This move follows meetings with local chiefs and administrators who promised logistical and intelligence support for the operations.

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) is set to increase its military presence in Ghana's Western Region. MyJoyOnline reported that the body aims to improve its fight against illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, by working more closely with local leaders. Colonel K. S. Appiah, the secretariat's Director of Operations, revealed this plan while meeting with officials in the Wassa Amenfi area.

Appiah told MyJoyOnline that engaging traditional councils first allows leaders to guide their communities toward better practices. He explained that this method avoids sudden military actions that might upset residents. The goal is to encourage miners to rethink how they affect local forests and water sources. He said the secretariat wants to achieve "responsible mining" by safeguarding public lands and infrastructure.

Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, the Omanhene of Wassa Amenfi, gave his council's backing to the initiative. According to MyJoyOnline, the chief noted that unregulated digging had harmed crops and water supplies, putting the area's youth at risk. He promised the council would share accurate information with NAIMOS and stop protecting local offenders. He declared that the community was ready to help protect their own land.

Raymond Nana Ebbah, the Municipal Chief Executive for Wassa Amenfi, also committed the Assembly to the effort. MyJoyOnline noted that Ebbah said local teams were already helping traditional leaders restore damaged ground. He pledged that the Assembly would supply logistics and local insights to aid the military. Ebbah argued that lasting growth in the region would be hard to achieve if environmental damage from mining kept spreading. He added that the President had charged them with guarding the environment.

These visits were part of NAIMOS's plan to build local backing for its anti-galamsey work. By aligning with both traditional and municipal authorities, the secretariat hopes to create a more coordinated response to mining in the region. The added troops are expected to strengthen the local leaders' promises of cooperation and intelligence sharing.

Ghana's NAIMOS Expands Military Deployment in Western Region to Combat Illegal Mining

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