The Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Colonel K S Appiah, has held talks with the Member of Parliament for Amenfi West, Dr Eric Afful, to deepen stakeholder collaboration in the fight against illegal mining.

The meeting, held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, focused on the environmental, security and socio-economic impacts of illegal mining in the Amenfi area and across the wider Western Region.

The discussions also centred on practical measures to strengthen cooperation among NAIMOS, political leadership, traditional authorities and local communities within the enclave.

In his submissions, Colonel Appiah briefed the MP on ongoing NAIMOS operations in the region, including recent interventions to curb illegal mining affecting the Ankobra River corridor and surrounding communities.

He reiterated that rivers, forest reserves and areas around critical public infrastructure remain strict no-go zones for illegal mining.

The Director of Operations explained that NAIMOS is shifting from temporary enforcement raids to a more sustained clear, stabilise, monitor and handover approach, supported by enhanced riverine operations in collaboration with the Ghana Navy.

The objective, he said, is to prevent illegal miners from returning to cleared areas after enforcement teams withdraw.

Colonel Appiah also stressed the need to depoliticise the fight against illegal mining and appealed to political, traditional and community leaders to refrain from intervening on behalf of arrested suspects or seeking the release of equipment seized during operations.

Discussions further centred on the destruction of cocoa farms, roads, water bodies and other local infrastructure caused by illegal mining, as well as the need to guide miners towards lawful and environmentally responsible operations.

For his part, the MP, Dr Eric Afful, welcomed the engagement and expressed support for sustained action against illegal mining.

He said there was a need to create lawful pathways for people whose livelihoods depend on mining.

The MP also indicated his readiness to support legislative and advocacy initiatives to strengthen responsible mining, protect water bodies and farmland, and improve accountability in the mining sector.

As Chair of Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee and a member of the Ministerial Advisory Board of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Afful said he was well placed to contribute to broader policy discussions on development and environmental protection.

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He further expressed his willingness to work with traditional leaders, community representatives and constituency structures to strengthen public education and encourage the reporting of illegal mining activities to the appropriate authorities.

The MP recommended that NAIMOS hold entry and exit meetings during enforcement operations to enable local security structures to monitor cleared areas and prevent their reoccupation.

Both sides agreed that lasting progress in combating illegal mining requires a combination of decisive enforcement, stronger legislation, community cooperation, responsible mining practices and sustained public education.

The delegation from NAIMOS included the Spokesperson for the Secretariat, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, the NAIMOS commander for the area, a staff at the Secretariat and the Police Liaison Officer at NAIMOS.

NAIMOS reaffirmed its commitment to working with Members of Parliament and other stakeholders to protect Ghana’s rivers, forests, farmland and public infrastructure while supporting legitimate and responsible mining.

AM

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