The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has disclosed that it has seized 94 excavators and arrested 237 individuals, mostly foreigners, in its intensified nationwide crackdown on illegal mining activities, known locally as "galamsey."

Providing an operational update at the NAIMOS Editors’ Forum and quarterly press briefing at the Press Centre in Accra on Wednesday, March 25, Director of Operations, Col. Dominic Buah, outlined significant gains made over the past months in efforts to curb the menace.

“94 excavators so far have been seized and secured in our location. Almost 3,000 changfans destroyed. Arrests: We have 237. The majority of them are foreigners,” he revealed.

Col. Buah explained that NAIMOS measures the effectiveness of its operations using a “strike rate," which currently stands at 87.7 percent.

“Then, you have seen a strike rate of 87.7. Anytime we move to the field, and we meet one of the key parameters, the things we do, the seizures, the arrests, and the destruction, we count it as a positive. That determines the strike rate,” he said.

He noted that beyond outright seizures, operatives have also resorted to immobilising excavators found at illegal mining sites due to logistical challenges.

According to him, this approach has significantly reduced the presence of excavators at galamsey sites.

“I must tell you that in the Galamsey site, the number of excavators is going down drastically. We used to meet 10 to 20 excavators. But now, you hardly meet any of them. The ones you meet there are already immobilized,” he added

However, he acknowledged that illegal miners continue to adapt their methods.

“Unfortunately, the Galamseyers are also smart. They keep coming up with new ideas on how to fix the excavators,” he noted.

Col. Buah further disclosed that NAIMOS has begun collaborating with the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC) to clear and repurpose scrap metal from polluted water bodies.

“Let me reiterate that the metal components in the waterways, we have started collaboration with the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation. They are currently on the Ankobra. I was there last week with them. And they are packing all the damaged Changfans' metal fabrications, which are on the waterway,” he said.

He added that the Secretariat is working methodically across affected areas.

“We move diligently from one water body to another and pack all the scrap. We can put them to good use,” he stated.

In addition, NAIMOS is repurposing equipment confiscated from illegal miners to support productive sectors such as agriculture.

“Pumping machines, through the Ministry of Agriculture, will be repurposed. As we've seen, several of them have been donated to farmers. We want to ensure that they are not sent back to the Galamsey site, but they are repurposed for good use, as well as other equipment,” he said.

Seized vehicles, he noted, are also being redirected into official operations after due legal processes.

“Vehicles seized, we push them into the operations once they are formally seized by the attorney general's department so that we pull the resources together and get this canker eliminated,” he explained.

Touching on security concerns, Col. Buah revealed that NAIMOS has confiscated at least 59 weapons from illegal miners, describing the development as a major national security threat.

He recounted a recent incident in which a soldier was shot during an operation.

“We had a few encounters where one of my soldiers was shot. Luckily, the bullet hit his tie, and he’s recovering,” he disclosed.

Col. Buah issued a stern warning to illegal miners who may consider using weapons against security personnel.

“But as I reiterated the last time, NAIMOS will not stand by and watch people use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons. And therefore, I will send a warning out there once again that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly,” he cautioned.

“It is a problem that we are trying to address. But we have the right to self-defense. And let no "Galamseyer" miss that. If you go to their field with a weapon and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you,” he added.