Small-scale miners at Manso Kaniago in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region have staged a protest over what they describe as persistent extortion by individuals posing as security operatives.

The miners accuse the suspects of falsely using the name of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to demand money and seize equipment at mining sites.

Clad in red armbands, the protesters called on authorities to act quickly, warning that failure to address the issue could trigger violent confrontations in the area.

According to the miners, the alleged imposters move from one concession to another, claiming to be enforcing the government’s anti-galamsey campaign.

They said the situation has created fear and confusion, as many operators do not know whether government has formed any additional taskforces apart from NAIMOS.

“We know NAIMOS is the taskforce established by the government to fight illegal mining, not licensed small-scale miners, and even they don’t extort money,” some of the protesters told Adom News.

They added, “Recently, some men came to seize our equipment and demanded money. After our checks, we realised they were not from NAIMOS but imposters tarnishing the government’s image.”

The miners insisted they support efforts to clamp down on illegal mining, but said legitimate operators should not be harassed by criminal groups exploiting the anti-galamsey drive.

One of the protesters, Abdulai Chipser, a site manager at a mining concession in the area, claimed the suspected extortionists visit their sites regularly.

“Just recently, they came to my site, arrested two of my workers, and took away some of our equipment demanding GH¢200,000 before they released them. The last time, they took GH¢50,000,” he alleged.

Mr Chipser further claimed that a District Chief Executive from another district had been leading some of the groups to the enclave.

“That DCE is not from this enclave, yet he comes here for money,” he alleged.

The claims have not been independently verified, and no official response had been issued at the time of filing this report.

The protest comes at a time when the government continues to intensify the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, which has become a major national issue due to its impact on forests, rivers and farmlands.

However, concerns have also emerged in some mining communities over alleged abuses, harassment and extortion carried out in the name of enforcement.

The miners are now appealing to President John Dramani Mahama and the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to investigate the allegations and restore order.

They say they remain ready to cooperate with lawful anti-galamsey operations, but want protection from unauthorised actors exploiting the current crackdown.