The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) launched an operation, dubbed Operation Water Shield, targeting illegal mining activities along the River Pra in the Adansi South District of the Ashanti Region. The operation, which began in September, aims to protect Ghana's major water bodies from illegal mining. On a deployment to the area, the NAIMOS team identified and shut down several illegal mining activities.
The team encountered extensive mining activities at Adiemra and Tweapease near New Edubiase, with parts of the river reportedly diverted, heavily silted, and polluted by mining activities. At Adiemra, mining operations were being carried out close to the Pra, with the river being used in the processing of mined material. The operation also found mining activities surrounding farmlands in the area, raising concerns among farmers about the impact on their livelihoods.
The NAIMOS team subsequently shut down an operation at Adiemra and arrested a man who claimed the site belonged to Alhaji Shaibu Iddi. However, officials said the documents presented by the suspect did not authorise the mining activities at the location. The documents related to processes involving different companies and locations. A site manager, Evans Badamawu, was also questioned during the operation.
At another site in Adiemra, the team found pumping machines positioned directly inside the River Pra. The site was among several mining operations captured during aerial surveillance of the area. The team said the activities were taking place within areas where mining is restricted around major water bodies. The operation comes amid concerns over the continued degradation of Ghana's rivers and forests through illegal mining.
At Tweapease, the extent of the mining activities was more apparent, with sections of the Pra heavily silted and polluted. Mining activities had altered the course of the river, and mining waste was entering the waterway from several points. The condition of the river made it difficult to distinguish some sections of the waterway from the surrounding mining landscape when viewed from above.
NAIMOS subsequently moved to shut down the operations, destroying several pumping machines and seizing 10 excavators from mining sites at Adiemra and Tweapease. Some of the miners arrested during the operation were visibly distressed as the taskforce dismantled the illegal activities. Some farmers in the affected communities welcomed the intervention, expressing hope that sustained enforcement could help restore the river and protect their farms.
NAIMOS says the operation will continue as Operation Water Shield enters its next phase, with the taskforce expected to sustain efforts to stop illegal mining activities along the Pra and other major water bodies. The latest operation forms part of broader efforts to protect Ghana's water resources from the environmental damage associated with illegal mining. The operation is expected to have a positive impact on the environment and local communities.
Key points
- NAIMOS seized 10 excavators and destroyed pumping machines in a raid on illegal mining sites along River Pra.
- The operation, dubbed Operation Water Shield, aims to protect Ghana's major water bodies from illegal mining.
- The taskforce is expected to sustain efforts to stop illegal mining activities along the Pra and other major water bodies.
