A joint enforcement team from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAiMOS) has carried out a major operation at the Oda Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region, leading to the arrest of several armed illegal miners and the seizure of large sums of suspected bribery money.

According to officials, the dawn operation, which targeted illegal mining camps deep within the forest, also resulted in the destruction of several makeshift structures and mining equipment, including excavators, water pumps, and generators used in unlawful mining activities.

NAiMOS operatives, supported by security personnel, engaged in what they described as a “swift and intelligence-led mission” to reclaim the reserve from illegal operators who have been degrading the environment and polluting nearby water bodies.

In a statement issued after the operation, the Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, and to protecting Ghana’s forest reserves and natural resources from destruction.

“The law will take its course. Those arrested will be processed for court, and all confiscated items will be handed over to the appropriate authorities,” a NAiMOS spokesperson said.

The Secretariat further cautioned individuals and groups involved in illegal mining activities to desist or face prosecution, adding that further operations will be conducted across other identified hotspots in the coming weeks.

The raid at the Oda Forest Reserve forms part of a renewed national campaign against illegal mining, as the government intensifies efforts to restore Ghana’s degraded ecosystems and safeguard its water resources.