The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources says it will not back down in the fight against illegal mining, despite a violent attack on officers of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in the Bono Region that left one officer injured and an armed assailant dead.
According to NAIMOS, the incident occurred during a routine anti-galamsey operation along the Subinkurom–Kyeremasu stretch in the Dormaa Central Municipality, where officers came under sudden gunfire from armed men hiding in nearby bushes. An exchange of fire followed, during which a NAIMOS task force member was shot in the thigh.
The injured officer was rushed to St. Matthew Catholic Hospital in Ampenkuro and is currently receiving treatment. One of the attackers, later identified as Abuu Ibrahim, was also shot during the confrontation and was pronounced dead on arrival at the same hospital.
In a statement, NAIMOS acknowledged the increasing dangers faced by officers on the frontline but stressed that the attack would not derail ongoing operations. The Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to tackling illegal mining and called on stakeholders to continue supporting efforts to protect Ghana’s forests, water bodies, and farmlands.
The incident has renewed concerns about the growing use of armed resistance by illegal miners, as authorities insist their resolve to safeguard the country’s natural resources remains firm despite the risks.