Bole-Bamboi, Savannah Region – The noose is tightening around the necks of illegal miners as the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has ramped up its offensive in the Bole/Bamboi area, delivering a crippling blow to galamsey operations with significant seizures and arrests.
This aggressive crackdown signals a renewed commitment to reclaim Ghana’s lands from the clutches of environmental destroyers.
Just a day after 11 Chinese nationals were nabbed for their alleged involvement in illicit mining, the NAIMOS task force returned to the scene of the crime, leaving a trail of devastation for the galamsey syndicates.
In a powerful follow-up operation, they seized a massive cache of heavy-duty mining equipment and other vital resources believed to be fueling the illegal extraction.
A Haul of Destruction: The Tools of Galamsey Exposed
The seized arsenal of destruction reads like a blueprint of environmental plunder. Among the confiscated items were:
* Four Shacman tipper trucks with registration numbers GT 7048-25, GT 7035-25, GT 7265-25, and GT 7243-25.
* A hulking bulldozer (GT 5321-25).
* A low bed truck (GT 1128-21).
* A Forland small truck.
* Ten drums of engine oil, crucial for keeping the machinery of destruction running.
* Twenty-eight assorted Richlion brand tires, essential for the relentless movement of stolen earth. Several motorbikes, likely used for quick getaways and logistical support.
All these instruments of environmental devastation have been hauled all the way to NAIMOS headquarters in Accra, where they are being held as evidence of the brazen disregard for Ghana’s laws and its natural heritage.
This strategic relocation, officials say, is a calculated move to cripple the logistical backbone of these illegal operations and ensure this equipment doesn’t resurface elsewhere.
Beyond the Hotspots: NAIMOS Takes the Fight Nationwide
This intensified crackdown in Bole/Bamboi is a clear sign that NAIMOS is broadening its assault on illegal mining. No longer confined to the notorious hotspots of Ashanti, Eastern, and Western regions, the task force is now extending its reach to other affected areas, including the northern sector, where the galamsey plague is on the rise.
The recent arrest of the 11 Chinese nationals further underscores the government’s determination to confront foreign involvement in illegal mining – a trend that has long raised concerns about the nation’s control over its own precious resources.
While their identities remain under wraps, NAIMOS officials have confirmed that investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will face the full force of the law.
Ghana’s Bleeding Wounds: The Devastating Cost of Galamsey
Ghana’s battle against illegal mining has reached a critical juncture. The devastating impact on the nation’s water bodies, pristine forests, and fertile arable land has become a national crisis.
Communities living in affected areas are bearing the brunt, reporting alarming declines in crop yields, severe water pollution, and a surge in health hazards from the toxic stew of chemicals like mercury and cyanide used in unregulated gold extraction.
Environmental activists and civil society groups have long demanded a more aggressive stance from the state to dismantle these galamsey networks, which often operate with impunity, allegedly shielded by powerful local figures and well-connected financiers.
The decisive actions taken by NAIMOS in Bole/Bamboi are, for many, a long-awaited breath of fresh air.
However, experts caution that enforcement alone won’t win this war. They advocate for a multi-pronged approach, emphasizing the crucial roles of community education, the creation of sustainable alternative livelihood programs, and the establishment of transparent regulations for small-scale mining to foster responsible practices within the sector.
For now, the resounding success of the NAIMOS Task Force in Bole/Bamboi sends an unequivocal message to illegal mining operators: the era of impunity is drawing to a close.
With more raids reportedly planned in the coming weeks, the task force has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to rooting out galamsey operations wherever they dare to surface.
GBC UNION THREATENS ACTION OVER ‘ILLEGAL’ DG AMIN ALHASSAN
Monrovia – The simmering tensions at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) are set to boil over, as the Divisional Union has issued a stern ultimatum to the National Media Commission (NMC) demanding the immediate removal of Director-General Professor Amin Alhassan. The Union alleges Professor Alhassan is illegally occupying his position, his four-year tenure having officially ended in October 2023.
FOURTH PETITION, ZERO ANSWERS
In a strongly worded letter dated July 21, 2025, and signed by Sam Nat Kevor, the Divisional and Local Union Chairman, the GBC Union reminded the NMC of their fourth petition on the matter. “We humbly write to remind you of our fourth (4th) petition concerning the Director-General, Professor Amin Alhassan, whose four-year tenure ended on 1st October 2023, but who still inappropriately occupies the office,” the letter stated.
The Union has consistently argued that Professor Alhassan’s continued presence poses “danger and inherent serious legal implications” for the Corporation, particularly regarding any decisions or agreements made under his leadership since his tenure expired. This, they assert, remains their “firm position.”
SALARY HALTED, LEGAL QUAGMIRE LOOMS
Adding fuel to the fire, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, in a letter dated March 14, 2025, a copy of which was attached to the Union’s petition, revealed a bombshell: Professor Alhassan’s salary has been suspended since March 2025.
The letter cited Section 25(5) of the Public Financial Management Act (Act 921), 2016, which mandates “financial clearance by the Minister” for staff recruitment commitments. It explicitly stated that financial clearance for Professor Alhassan’s supposed new contract, commencing October 2, 2023, and ending September 2027, is required to process his salary and allowances.
Crucially, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department emphasized the need for this clearance to take retrospective effect from October 2, 2023, “to avoid the issue of unearned salaries arising.”
The fact that these concerns remain unaddressed has emboldened the Union.
ULTIMATUM ISSUED
The Divisional Union views the situation as “untenable” for Professor Alhassan, the “Spending Officer,” to continue engaging in official transactions as GBC’s DG.
In a move that signals an impending showdown, the Union has given the NMC Chairperson and Commissioners a strict ten (10) working days to resolve the issue.
Failure to do so, they warned, would force them to “accordingly advise ourselves” – a veiled threat of industrial action or other measures.
This latest development sets the stage for a potential crisis at the state broadcaster, with the GBC Union seemingly ready to escalate their demands if the NMC fails to act swiftly.
By Leo Nelson
