The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has withdrawn the authority of independent groups or individuals to conduct operations at illegal mining sites.
This move is part of a renewed effort to combat illegal mining activities through a centralised, intelligence-led approach.
The ministry, in a statement signed by its Director of Communications and issued on June 30, 2025, Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia, announced the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
This secretariat is now the sole central authority mandated to initiate, coordinate, and supervise all anti-illegal mining operations across the country.
“The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources wishes to formally announce that, in line with the government’s commitment to addressing the menace of illegal mining, an effective and robust intelligence-led secretariat has been officially launched to operate as the central authority for initiating, coordinating, and supervising all anti-illegal mining operations across the country,” the statement read.
NAIMOS is a collaborative effort involving stakeholders from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior, the National Security Council, and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
Its objective is to create a well-coordinated framework to effectively crack down on illegal mining and its associated environmental harms.
The ministry explicitly cautioned individuals and groups against undertaking independent anti-illegal mining initiatives without prior approval and clearance from NAIMOS.
“In view of this integrated intelligence initiative, the ministry wishes to emphatically state that no person, individual, or organised group is allowed to embark on any anti-illegal mining operation without consulting the duly established Secretariat, which has been formally tasked for that purpose,” the statement emphasised.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all anti-galamsey operations, swoops, and raids conducted without the express approval and authorisation of the Secretariat are strongly discouraged, and we urge all concerned Ghanaians to take note of this arrangement and comply accordingly,” it added.
Read full statement below:
MAG/VPO
GhanaWeb Special: The gold market that fuels galamsey
How social engineering hacks your mind and your bank account
