A taskforce from the National Anti Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat has conducted an enforcement operation at Hiawa in the Amenfi Central District, targeting illegal mining activities that authorities say have resurfaced in the area.
According to information released by NAIMOS, the operation focused on several illegal mining sites where miners had set up makeshift infrastructure to extract gold. During the exercise, the taskforce destroyed equipment found at the sites, including temporary structures, water pumping machines, and wooden gold washing platforms commonly used in illegal mining operations.
Officials say the action is part of an intensified crackdown on galamsey activities in communities where previous interventions had forced miners to withdraw, only for operations to resume later. NAIMOS indicated that the affected areas have suffered significant environmental harm, including the destruction of farmlands and forests, as well as pollution of nearby water bodies.
The Secretariat stated that the activities of illegal miners in the Amenfi Central District continue to flout environmental laws and regulatory controls, posing long term risks to livelihoods and natural resources. The destruction of equipment, according to NAIMOS, is intended to disrupt operations and deter miners from returning to the affected sites.
NAIMOS has reiterated its commitment to sustaining enforcement operations in galamsey prone communities across the country. Authorities say continued presence and follow up actions are necessary to prevent further environmental degradation and to protect water sources and forest reserves.
No arrests were announced in connection with the Hiawa operation, and NAIMOS has not released details on whether further actions are planned in the district. Officials say monitoring will continue as part of broader national efforts to address illegal mining.