NAIMOS steps up illegal mining crackdown to protect Ghana’s Birim River

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has begun a major operation in the Kyebi area of Ghana’s Eastern Region to remove illegal mining activities from the Birim River and its surrounding catchment areas.

The operation is part of a wider national campaign to protect Ghana’s critical water bodies, disrupt mining in rivers and help restore waterways damaged by illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.

NAIMOS said the operation is particularly important because pollution and extensive degradation along the Birim River have affected the ability of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to extract and treat water.

Improving the river’s condition is therefore expected to support efforts to restore water production by GWCL and improve the reliability of supplies for communities that depend on the affected waterworks.

Since the operation started, the NAIMOS Taskforce has moved into identified illegal mining sites along sections of the Birim River. Several locations have already been cleared, while the taskforce continues to advance into other areas marked for removal.

The operation is targeting both illegal miners and mining activities located in or near the river. NAIMOS said those activities have played a significant role in polluting the Birim and damaging its surrounding environment.

The Secretariat also said that clearing the sites would be followed by continued surveillance. The monitoring is intended to prevent illegal miners from returning and to provide the conditions needed for the river to recover gradually.

Sustained clearance and monitoring will also contribute to attempts to restore dependable water production for communities served by the affected water facilities.

Wider campaign against galamsey

NAIMOS said the protection of Ghana’s water bodies remained a central priority in the national fight against illegal mining.

It added that the Kyebi operation would continue as part of broader efforts to rehabilitate the Birim River and protect its catchment areas from further damage.

The Secretariat has appealed to communities along the river to support the operation. It also urged people involved in illegal mining within the river corridor to end their activities.

NAIMOS said it would continue working alongside security agencies, regulatory institutions, the Ghana Water Company Limited, traditional authorities and local communities.

The aim of that co-ordinated effort is to protect the Birim River and restore it as a dependable source of water for communities in the surrounding areas.