The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has strongly condemned a recent violent attack on personnel from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) during an operation in the Ahafo Region.

The attack, which targeted members of the anti-illegal mining task force at Bronikrom near Hwediem on Saturday, November 1, 2025, has prompted the minister to take immediate action, signalling the government's commitment to protecting its personnel and bringing perpetrators of illegal mining (galamsey) and violence to justice.

In a press statement issued today, Monday, November 3, 2025, the ministry confirmed that Mr Armah-Kofi Buah was "adequately briefed" on the incident and has since condemned the violence in the strongest terms.

The attack underscores the extreme danger faced by NAIMOS personnel as they combat the heavily armed and organised networks driving illegal mining, or galamsey, across Ghana.

The statement, signed by Paa Kwesi Schandorf, Media Relations Officer, highlighted the government's zero-tolerance stance on attacks against state officials carrying out their lawful duties.

Following the briefing, the minister has initiated high-level consultations to ensure a comprehensive response:

• Ministerial Meetings: The minister has held crucial meetings with the Speaker of Parliament and the Minister for the Interior to coordinate the state's response.
• Demand for Action: The meetings were specifically held for the "conduct of swift and rigorous investigations" into the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the attack.

The ministry stressed that the coordinated effort to investigate and prosecute the attackers is "in line with government's commitment to bring to book all perpetrators who aid, support, or front the continuous decimation of the environment."

This confirms that the net will be cast widely to apprehend not just the thugs who executed the attack, but also the financiers and backers who organised the violence.

The swift action taken by the Lands Minister, engaging with both the legislative and internal security sectors, indicates the gravity with which the government views this escalation of violence against state anti-galamsey efforts in the Ahafo Region.

The move aims to restore order and assure the public that the fight against illegal mining remains a top national security priority.