In a fierce pre-dawn operation on Monday, October 5, 2025, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAiMOS) stormed “Gangway,” a notorious illegal mining hub at Aboso in the Prestea-Huni Valley District, demolishing structures, seizing equipment, and arresting suspects in a major blow to the region’s galamsey network.
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAiMOS) has intensified its nationwide clampdown on illegal mining with a decisive raid on “Gangway,” a well-known galamsey and crime-infested enclave in the Western Region.
Armed Task Force operatives descended on the area in the early hours of Monday, October 5, 2025, targeting makeshift mining camps and criminal hideouts that had long served as bases for illegal miners, drug peddlers, and gamblers.
In a coordinated offensive, dozens of wooden structures and mining equipment were razed, sending plumes of smoke rising over Aboso.
The raid caught many residents off guard, prompting hundreds believed to be engaged in illicit mining and other unlawful activities to surrender peacefully.
During the operation, the Task Force confiscated several parcels of hard drugs, including 11 wraps of Indian hemp, further exposing the connection between galamsey and narcotics within the enclave.
This latest move follows an earlier warning issued by NAiMOS in June 2025, urging illegal miners and criminal groups to vacate the Gangway area. Despite repeated appeals by traditional authorities, particularly the Chiefs of Aboso, the illegal activities persisted until the Task Force’s intervention brought operations to an abrupt halt.
In a related development, NAiMOS extended its enforcement drive to the Dadwen-Dompim corridor in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, where 15 water-pumping machines, a generator, and three Chanfangs were seized or destroyed. Additional illegal mining structures were also torched to prevent reoccupation.
The Secretariat’s latest action underscores government’s unwavering commitment to curb illegal mining, safeguard natural resources, and restore environmental integrity across the Western Region and beyond.
Written By Bernard Nii Ade Quaye | Kobby Kyei News
