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The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has defended its decision to burn chanfangs seized during anti-galamsey operations, citing difficulties in transporting the heavy equipment from rivers and inaccessible mining sites.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, October 22, Colonel K.S. Appiah, Director of Operations at NAIMOS, explained that destroying the equipment was necessary to remove illegal mining infrastructure from water bodies, particularly in areas where road access for trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles was severely limited.
He said the secretariat remained committed to dismantling illegal mining operations despite the logistical challenges involved in retrieving and transporting the equipment from affected areas.
“It is very difficult to move them out of the rivers because road access and access for trucks to the areas are almost impossible. So, we need to destroy and burn them, and later, in coordination with the GSDC, which has the capability to lift them from the river bodies,” he said.
Colonel Appiah emphasised that the fight against illegal mining required sustained efforts to remove the equipment and infrastructure that enable miners to continue operating on rivers.
He warned that allowing such equipment to remain in water bodies could worsen the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
The NAIMOS Director of Operations reiterated the need for continued enforcement operations to dismantle illegal mining infrastructure and protect Ghana’s rivers from further environmental degradation.