The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has stormed a notorious galamsey hideout named ‘Gangway’ at Aboso in the Western Region.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of Government Communication, the operation was carried out on Monday, October 5, 2025.
In a post on X, he wrote, “The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has carried out a significant operation in the Western Region, targeting notorious galamsey hideouts.
On Monday, October 5, 2025, the Task Force stormed “Gangway,” a crime-infested community in Aboso, Prestea-Huni Valley District.
-Makeshift Structures Destroyed*: Several makeshift structures serving as hideouts and drug bases were set ablaze, and galamsey equipment was destroyed.
-Hundreds Surrender: Several hundred locals, mostly galamseyers, surrendered to the Task Force. These individuals were involved in various social vices, including illegal mining, trading, and narcotics smoking, as well as gambling.
-Drugs Seized- Eleven parcels of Indian Hemp were seized, alongside other hard drugs.
– Previous Warnings Ignored: This operation follows a similar one in June 2025, where NAIMOS warned criminal gangs and galamseyers to vacate the area. Despite this, the warnings were ignored.
Additional Operations:
While en route to Gangway, the NAIMOS Task Force conducted anti-galamsey operations in the Dadwen-Domping areas of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. These operations resulted in:
– Seizure of Equipment: 15 water pumping machines and one generator set were seized.
– *Destruction of Equipment*: Three chanfangs were destroyed, and other structures and equipment belonging to illegal miners were set ablaze.
The NAIMOS Task Force remains committed to combating illegal mining and its associated social vices in the region”.
However, some netizens have reacted to the news saying, “Strong move by NAIMOS, but it’ll only matter if it’s followed by sustained enforcement, rehabilitation, and real alternatives for those who surrendered. Otherwise, it’s just another fire that’ll burn out too soon”.
Another netizen wrote, “Boss Felix, something baffles me. So are we saying, upon all these arrests NAIMOS is doing, none of these victims can lead the security to the big men who are sponsoring these acts?”.
One more X user wrote, “Meanwhile, the person who put them there is paying them chop money if ¢50 daily aside their wages is cooling off somewhere in Accra. Next week the foreman will get a new squad to go and continue from where they left off”.
Meanwhile, the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Col. Dominic Buah, has said illegal miners are the prime enemies of the state.
He said, “Mr. President, with your permission, I would like to send this warning to illegal miners, their assigns, and financiers. They are the first or prime enemies of the state, and they will be dealt with as such. There will be no room for them to escape or to hide. NAIMOS will smoke them out very soon; there is no resting place for them,” Col. Buah said.
Col. Buah added, “They should get ready and be assured that very soon our waters will turn blue and our forests will turn green. We have already trained over 400 troops who are the first batch deployed or are under deployment to sensitive areas. We will continue to deploy more so that we will all go to bed knowing that NAIMOS is firmly on the ground and illegal mining will be a thing of the past.”
“All illegal miners, galamseyers, and financiers, beware. NAIMOS is closer to your bases, and there will be no hiding place for you”, he added.
See the post below:
UPDATE ON NAIMOS Task Force Anti- Galamsey Operations in Western Region.
— Felix Kwakye Ofosu (@FelixKwakyeOfo1) October 7, 2025
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has carried out a significant operation in the Western Region, targeting notorious galamsey hideouts.
On Monday, October 5, 2025,… pic.twitter.com/mdxp92HHsy