The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (CAGG) has called for stronger public oversight of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), warning that allegations of selective enforcement could undermine public confidence in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining.
The coalition acknowledged NAIMOS’ role in the anti-galamsey campaign and noted that the agency had carried out more than 200 operations since its establishment.
However, it said the number of operations alone could not be used to measure the success of the agency without greater transparency about how enforcement actions were conducted.
“NAIMOS has been active on the ground, and its record of over 200 operations is not in dispute,” CAGG said in a statement issued on Monday.
“The question that must be asked, however, is whether that record reflects enforcement carried out without fear or favour.”
The coalition said it had received reports from some mining communities alleging that NAIMOS had applied its enforcement measures inconsistently, with some mining operators allegedly treated differently from others.
It also called for an investigation into allegations that equipment seized during anti-illegal mining operations had been returned to owners after payments were allegedly made.
“Far more troubling is the allegation that confiscated equipment is being returned to miners upon payment of a fee, with motorbike owners reportedly paying GH₵15,000 to reclaim seized bikes,” the coalition said.
“If this is true, this is shameful, and it is an affront to the integrity of NAIMOS and to the very mandate it was set up to fulfil.”
CAGG said the allegations were serious enough to require an immediate response from NAIMOS and urged the Secretariat to publicly clarify its procedures for handling confiscated equipment.
“We call on NAIMOS to come clean on this allegation without delay,” it said.
The coalition also questioned the accessibility and effectiveness of the agency’s public complaints and accountability mechanisms.
It asked NAIMOS to disclose where its toll-free complaints line was published and provide information on how complaints from mining communities were received, recorded and addressed.
“Where is NAIMOS’s toll-free complaints line published, and what is the public record of community complaints received, logged and acted upon?” CAGG asked.
“Accountability requires that these questions be answered, not assumed.”
According to CAGG, the demand for greater transparency is particularly important because NAIMOS has become a key institution in the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the country’s forests and water bodies.
The coalition said the fight against galamsey could only succeed if all institutions involved in enforcement operated consistently, independently and transparently.
It has previously raised concerns about the Ghana Police Service and local authorities, arguing that inconsistent enforcement could allow illegal mining activities to continue.
Although the government has maintained that NAIMOS has played an important role in disrupting illegal mining operations, including the seizure of equipment and interventions in affected communities, CAGG said the credibility of the campaign would ultimately depend on the integrity of enforcement processes.
The coalition therefore called for clear accountability mechanisms that would enable citizens to report alleged misconduct, track complaints and demand answers from officials involved in anti-illegal mining operations.
