The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has intensified its crackdown on illegal mining in Osino, Eastern Region, arresting 13 suspected illegal miners. The task force also destroyed equipment found at the illegal mining site. This operation is part of the government's ongoing efforts to tackle illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, which poses a significant threat to communities and the environment.
The latest operation comes just days after a similar exercise was conducted at the same location, with NAIMOS officials returning to find illegal miners back at the site. Some of the miners claimed it was their first time at the site and that they were there to earn their daily survival. Among them is a 15-year-old boy from Navrongo, who said he was brought to the site by someone to work and raise money to support his education.
Speaking to JoyNews, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, Spokesperson for NAIMOS, said the recurrence of illegal miners at the site demonstrates the need for a permanent security presence at illegal mining hotspots. He emphasized that the situation reinforces the government's strategy of maintaining permanent deployments in areas affected by illegal mining.
According to Mr. Schandorf, the task force had already flushed out illegal miners from the area several days earlier, but their return demonstrates the difficulty of sustaining the gains of periodic operations. He noted that the recurrence gives further justification to calls for a more permanent security presence.
NAIMOS says the government intends to invest more resources into permanent deployment arrangements to prevent illegal miners from returning to cleared sites. Mr. Schandorf also called for stronger local enforcement, arguing that communities with Police stations should be able to respond quickly to illegal mining activities.
The NAIMOS spokesperson acknowledged the support of the police, National Security, and other state agencies in the ongoing operations. He, however, said more effort is required from all stakeholders, including residents of affected communities, to sustain the fight against illegal mining.
Mr. Schandorf emphasized that local intelligence remains an important component of the operations, although communities are often divided over illegal mining because some residents benefit from the activity. He believes that the persistent nature of galamsey means the fight cannot be left solely to national agencies.
Key points
- The government plans to invest more resources into permanent deployment arrangements to prevent illegal miners from returning to cleared sites.
- NAIMOS is calling for stronger local enforcement to combat illegal mining.
- The fight against illegal mining requires the support of all stakeholders, including residents of affected communities.
