The government of Ghana has unveiled plans to establish a permanent military base along the Ankobra River as part of a renewed and uncompromising war against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. This bold decision follows a high-level inspection of the river on Thursday, September 18, where officials witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of unchecked mining activities.
The inspection team was led by Lands and Natural Resources Minister Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, alongside Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Security Council, and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS). Travelling by canoe from Gwira Wiaso to Gwira Akango, the delegation uncovered cocoa farms turned into mining sites, makeshift mining camps dubbed Chinese town, and hundreds of abandoned pumps and chanfans clogging the riverbanks.
Once a source of clean water, the Ankobra River now flows thick and milky brown, poisoned by years of illegal mining. Visibly shaken by the destruction, Minister Buah declared the crisis a “war on the country,” warning miners to leave immediately or face the full force of the law. He stressed that the government will not relent until the river is restored to its natural state.
Captain Nana Kweku Owusu Domme, leader of NAIMOS, strongly supported the proposal, emphasizing that one-off military raids are no longer effective. He argued that only a permanent security presence can deter miners who exploit the withdrawal of enforcement teams to resume illegal operations.
In addition to the planned military deployment, the government will revise environmental regulations, extending the buffer zone along rivers from 100 metres to one kilometre. This measure aims to eliminate legal loopholes and stop miners from discharging toxic chemicals into water bodies.
For years, residents along the Ankobra have raised alarms over pollution, but the inspection revealed a level of environmental destruction far worse than previously imagined. The government’s plan signals a new phase in Ghana’s anti-galamsey fight, combining military strength and tougher regulations to reclaim the nation’s vital water resources.
Officials say the permanent base will serve as both a deterrent and a rapid-response centre, ensuring that the river and the communities that depend on it are protected for future generations. The move underscores President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s directive for an aggressive, sustained defence of Ghana’s natural resources.