Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has called for a permanent and strengthened presence of the Minerals Commission within the Nzema East Municipality.
This he believes will enhance their oversight and ensure regulated mining activities across the three Nzema municipalities and neighboring areas.
His appeal comes in the wake of an anti-illegal mining operation conducted along the Ankobra River on December 24. Led by the Western Regional National Security Liaison Officer, Brigadier General Musah Whajah (Rtd), the taskforce arrested two Chinese nationals and recovered five excavators.
The Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region has become a hotspot for illegal mining activity in recent times, with large tracts of farmland along the Ankobra River left heavily devastated.
In an effort to reclaim and repurpose this degraded land, the Nzema East Municipal Assembly granted a permit to Namova Ghana Ltd. in July 2025 to rehabilitate the galamsey-affected areas within the Domenase, Bamiakor, Awurazo, and Akango townships.
However, the company reportedly used this reclamation permit as cover to conduct its own illegal mining operations, failing to fill excavated holes. During a riverine operation approximately four weeks ago, the taskforce warned the company to strictly adhere to its mandated reclamation work.
Despite this, a subsequent anti-illegal mining operation on December 24, conducted by a joint team from the Western Naval Command and the Second Infantry Battalion and led by Brigadier General Musah Whajah (Rtd.), discovered that Namova Ghana Ltd. had dug a new mining pit and installed a washing plant, discharging wastewater directly into the Ankobra River.
This activity occurred despite a prior revocation letter issued by the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, which acted under the authority of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), and other relevant statutes.
During the December 24 operation, the taskforce arrested two Chinese nationals and disabled five excavators by removing their control boards.
“Upon investigation, we found the permit was being used not for land reclamation, but for unauthorized small-scale mining operations. After confirming this with the Nzema East Municipal Chief Executive, we launched a dawn raid this morning.
During the operation, we discovered five excavators. Given the difficult terrain, we were unable to seize the machinery. Instead, we disabled them by removing their control boards. We also apprehended two Chinese who were working at the site.
The raid revealed freshly dug mining pits across the location, providing clear evidence that the individuals were engaged in illegal mining activity, commonly known as galamsey.” He said.
Brigadier General Musah Whajah (Rtd.) has issued a further warning to illegal miners in the Wassa Amenfi districts, stating that the taskforce’s next operation will target that area.
“We will not relax our vigilance during the Christmas festivities. Our monitoring of the Ankobra River, including its upstream sections, will continue uninterrupted.
To the people of Amenfi West and Amenfi Central, we have a clear message: be prepared. A significant portion of the illegal mining activity we encounter originates in your area. Therefore, our intensified operations will be focused there.
Consider this a final warning. We are prepared to forgo our own Christmas celebrations to sustain this effort. We will continue our campaign relentlessly until we achieve our objectives.” He added.
Meanwhile, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has called for a permanent and strengthened presence of the Minerals Commission within the Nzema East Municipality with the aim of enhancing oversight and ensure regulated mining activities across the three Nzema municipalities and neighboring areas in the region.
“A significant part of the problem is structural. The Minerals Commission has no regional office from Wassa East all the way to Jomoro. This raises serious questions about how they can effectively monitor even the companies they have duly licensed.
While the security agencies carry out their operations, the regulator itself must be proactive. That is why I have urged the Minister to establish a permanent office in the Nzema East municipality. This is a highly active mining area where much of the activity is illegal, making a strong regulatory presence essential.
Such an office could also oversee operations in Ahanta West and Mpohor. Currently, the nearest office is in Tarkwa, which is too remote to be effective.
As Regional Minister, I do not even know how many companies here hold legal mining licenses. I suspect if we asked the authorities, they would struggle to provide accurate data.
What’s more, the small-scale mining secretariat is based in Accra—there is no regional office in the Western Region. This means local mining officers must report directly to Accra, bypassing any regional oversight. This situation alone illustrates the scale of the systemic challenges we are facing.“ The minister mentioned.
By Ebenezer Atiemo
