Colonel Dominic Buah, Director of Operations at the National Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), delivered a stark warning to small-scale miners on Tuesday, declaring that the era of impunity for galamsey operators is over.

Addressing members of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners at the Atiwa East District Assembly Hall, Colonel Buah emphasised that NAIMOS’s mission is to enforce the law, protect the environment, and safeguard critical national infrastructure.

 “I am not here to fight anyone,” he stated firmly, “but if anyone brings a fight, he will surely get one.”

The meeting, organised by the association, brought together key stakeholders, including its General Secretary, Godwin Armah, the Association’s Director of Communications, Abdul-Razak Alhassan, and regional executives.

Security officials, led by Francis Annoh Dompreh, Eastern Regional Security Liaison, also attended, alongside a NAIMOS team that included Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation and Public Affairs, Lionel Anim Boateng (Labo), and several soldiers.

Colonel Buah recounted the dire environmental and health consequences of illegal mining, citing rivers polluted with mercury, dying fish, and contaminated farmlands.

He warned of the potential for severe health crises, including cancer, neurological disorders, and limb loss, stressing that continued galamsey activity threatens not only the environment but also national development.

The closure of the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant, he noted, is a direct result of illegal mining, underscoring the urgent need for decisive action.

“We will lose our country if things continue the way they are,” he cautioned.

The Director also outlined NAIMOS’s framework, established under the guidance of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah.

Built on three pillars, Prevention, Restoration, and Sustainability the initiative unites all security and regulatory agencies to enforce the law effectively, gather intelligence, and engage communities.

Colonel Buah made it clear that illegal mining along rivers, in forest reserves, on roads, on railway lines, and under power pylons will not be tolerated.

“Any illegal mining site encountered will have all machinery and equipment destroyed or immobilised,” he warned.

He urged small-scale miners to operate transparently and legally, obtaining the necessary licences for reconnaissance, prospecting, and mining from the Minerals Commission. He expressed frustration with those who bypass these stages and launch operations illegally, warning that NAIMOS will respond decisively.

“NAIMOS is open to civil society, the media, and the public,” he added, “and anyone caught extorting money will be reported. Ghana is a country of laws, and we will enforce them without fear or favour.”

The stern address serves as a warning that NAIMOS is prepared to crack down ruthlessly on illegal mining, leaving no room for negotiation or delay.

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