The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has revealed that it has detained 237 people, primarily foreigners, and seized 94 excavators as part of its stepped-up nationwide campaign against illicit mining operations, which are referred to locally as “galamsey.”
On Wednesday, March 25, Director of Operations Col. Dominic Buah gave an operational report at the NAIMOS Editors’ Forum and gave a quarterly press briefing at the Press Center in Accra. He detailed important advancements made in recent months in the fight against the threat.
Thus far, 94 excavators have been apprehended and secured at our site. Nearly 3,000 changfans were destroyed. We have 237 arrests.
“Most of them are foreigners,” he disclosed.
“Then, you have seen a strike rate of 87.7. Anytime we move to the field, and we meet one of the key parameters, the things we do, the seizures, the arrests, and the destruction, we count it as a positive. That determines the strike rate,” he reiterated.
Col. Buah explained that NAIMOS uses a “strike rate,” which is currently 87.7 percent, to gauge the success of its activities.
After that, you have observed an 87.7 strike rate. We consider it a success whenever we enter the field and fulfil any of the important criteria, including seizures, arrests, and destruction. The strike rate is determined by that, he stated.
He pointed out that due to logistical difficulties, agents have also turned to immobilising excavators discovered at illicit mining sites in addition to making outright seizures.
He claims that this strategy has greatly decreased the number of excavators at galamsey locations.
“I must tell you that in the Galamsey site, the number of excavators is going down drastically. We used to meet 10 to 20 excavators. But now, you hardly meet any of them. The ones you meet there are already immobilized,” he added
He did concede, though, that illegal miners still modify their techniques.
Sadly, the Galamseyers possess intelligence as well.
He observed, “They keep coming up with new ideas on how to fix the excavators.”
Col. Buah also revealed that NAIMOS and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC) had started working together to remove and recycle scrap metal from contaminated waterways.
“Let me reiterate that the metal components in the waterways, we have started collaboration with the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation. They are currently on the Ankobra. I was there last week with them. And they are packing all the damaged Changfans’ metal fabrications, which are on the waterway,” he added.
The Secretariat is operating carefully in all impacted areas, he continued.
“We move diligently from one water body to another and pack all the scrap. We can put them to good use,” he said.
Additionally, NAIMOS is supporting productive industries like agriculture by recycling equipment seized from illicit miners.
“Pumping machines, through the Ministry of Agriculture, will be repurposed. As we’ve seen, several of them have been donated to farmers. We want to ensure that they are not sent back to the Galamsey site, but they are repurposed for good use, as well as other equipment,” he stated.
He pointed out that after the appropriate legal procedures, seized cars are also being transferred into official operations.
“Vehicles seized, we push them into the operations once they are formally seized by the attorney general’s department so that we pull the resources together and get this canker eliminated,” he clarified.
Concerning security, Col. Buah disclosed that NAIMOS had seized at least 59 guns from illegal miners, characterising the occurrence as a serious threat to national security.
He described a recent event where a soldier was shot while conducting an operation.
“We had a few encounters where one of my soldiers was shot. Luckily, the bullet hit his tie, and he’s recovering,” he revealed.
Illegal miners who could think about using guns against security personnel were strongly warned by Col. Buah.
“But as I reiterated the last time, NAIMOS will not stand by and watch people use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons. And therefore, I will send a warning out there once again that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly,” he said.
“It is a problem that we are trying to address. But we have the right to self-defense. And let no “Galamseyer” miss that. If you go to their field with a weapon and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you,” he continued.
Source: newsthemegh.com