Accra, June 26, 2025
Felix Cofie
In a major push to clamp down on illegal mining activities, Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has officially launched the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) — a centralized, intelligence-led body tasked with coordinating all anti-galamsey operations nationwide.
The launch, held in Accra, brought together key government stakeholders, including the Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, and the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, whose ministries will provide strategic and operational support to the newly inaugurated Secretariat.
NAIMOS aims to address longstanding challenges associated with fragmented and uncoordinated responses to illegal mining. The Secretariat will serve as the national command center, bringing together the resources of the Ministries of Interior, Defence, National Security, the Narcotics Control Board, and the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), among others.
“With 16% of our land reserves already degraded by illegal mining activities, NAIMOS will provide the focused leadership required to win this fight,” said Hon. Buah at the inauguration.“We will support the Secretariat’s work without fear or favour,” he added.
Key Mandate of NAIMOS
The Secretariat has been tasked with:
• Coordinating state security forces in all anti-galamsey operations.
• Developing strategies and conducting tactical raids.
• Enforcing mining and environmental laws in collaboration with established institutions.
• Partnering with traditional authorities and local communities to find inclusive, long-term solutions.
• Liaising with the National Security Secretariat to ensure unified efforts.
• Reporting regularly to the Lands Ministry on progress, emerging trends, and future strategies.
The Interior Minister, Hon. Muntaka, pledged his full backing, while Deputy Defence Minister Ernest Brogya Genfi, speaking on behalf of the military, reaffirmed the Ghana Armed Forces’ commitment to the initiative. He revealed that NAIMOS has the full endorsement of President John Dramani Mahama, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“The military will play a critical role in NAIMOS-led operations, particularly in reclaiming degraded forest reserves and polluted water bodies,” Mr. Genfi noted.
Early Successes
Even prior to its formal launch, NAIMOS has recorded significant operational success, with joint security raids in the Eastern, Ashanti, Western, Central, and Western North regions. These efforts have led to the seizure of over 50 excavators, 3 bulldozers, a van, generators, and other mining equipment. Several illegal miners have also been arrested.
National Resolve
The well-attended launch ceremony was marked by a shared sense of urgency and unity, with agency heads, traditional leaders, and security commanders pledging to collaborate in protecting Ghana’s environment from the escalating threat of illegal mining.
As the government ramps up its crackdown, NAIMOS is expected to lead a new era of coordinated, data-driven, and community-engaged enforcement to preserve Ghana’s natural resources for future generations.
