The spokesperson for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Paa Kwesi Schandorf, has disclosed that the number of changfans operating on the Tano River has reduced significantly following sustained operations against illegal mining activities.

According to him, the development is a major breakthrough in the government's efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, and restore the country's polluted water bodies.

In a statement shared on social media on October 30, 2026, Schandorf revealed that a team of 15 journalists accompanied NAIMOS officials to the Tano River to assess the impact of Operation Water Shield, an ongoing initiative aimed at protecting water bodies from illegal mining activities.

He explained that the visit formed part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability by allowing journalists to independently assess the progress made in tackling illegal mining along the river and its surrounding communities.

"Earlier this afternoon, we were on the Tano River with a team of 15 journalists to assess the impact of Operation Water Shield being aggressively implemented by NAIMOS," he stated.

"In the spirit of accountability, the reporters had the chance to witness and independently verify the progress of NAIMOS in tackling galamsey on the Tano River and its environs."

Schandorf attributed the reported reduction in changfans, which are floating mining platforms used by illegal miners to extract gold from riverbeds, to sustained operations spearheaded by the NAIMOS Director of Operations, Colonel K. S. Appiah.

"As of now, the most crucial development to report is that changfans on River Tano HAVE GREATLY REDUCED, thanks to the sustained operations led by the NAIMOS Director of Operations, Colonel K. S. Appiah," he emphasised.

He further assured the public that NAIMOS would maintain continuous surveillance of the Tano River and other critical water sources to prevent illegal miners from returning to areas where their operations have been disrupted.

According to him, the intensified monitoring forms part of President John Dramani Mahama's broader vision of restoring Ghana's water bodies to their natural conditions.

"Indeed, NAIMOS will continue to maintain surveillance on the Tano River and all critical water sources in line with President Mahama's vision of restoring all water bodies to their pristine and natural conditions," he indicated.



AM

Inside Ghana’s First 950,000-Barrel Sankofa Oil Shipment | Exclusive Tour



“We Can’t Adapt to This New Road Technology” | Ghanaians React to TRAFFITECH-GH