Ghana Task Force Cleans Birim River, Halts Illegal Mining

Farmers and residents along Ghana's Birim River are breathing easier this week after a major cleanup operation stopped illegal miners from poisoning their water supply.

Between January 16 and 17, 2026, Ghana's National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) swept through the Eastern Region with a clear mission: restore the river and protect local communities. Working alongside Blue Water Guards, the task force targeted four sites where illegal operations had turned clear waterways into toxic sludge.

At Apoli Beposo in the Akim Oda Swedru District, the team caught miners working directly in the river. The miners fled, swimming to the opposite bank as operatives arrived. The task force seized and burned four chanfan machines on the riverbank, equipment that had been dumping contaminated sediment into the water source thousands depend on daily.

The same day brought a bigger breakthrough. At another Apoli site, authorities arrested three Chinese nationals operating an illegal mine and destroyed all makeshift structures. Intelligence reports suggest the visible enforcement has already convinced many miners to abandon river operations entirely.

Saturday's action at Nyafoman revealed an even more dangerous situation. The notorious site housed primarily Burkinabe miners using cyanide to extract gold, creating severe health risks for downstream communities. Most fled before arrest, but the task force destroyed their chanfan machines and structures, sending a clear message that toxic practices won't be tolerated.

At Domeabra later that day, two excavators sat abandoned, one already disabled by fleeing operators. The equipment now sits idle, unable to tear up more riverbed or dump more pollution into community water sources.

The Ripple Effect

This enforcement action creates waves far beyond destroyed equipment. Local farmers who depend on the Birim River for irrigation can now access cleaner water. Families who've watched their water source turn brown with mining runoff have hope that tomorrow might bring clear water again.

NAIMOS isn't stopping with this two-day operation. The organization plans to equip field teams with life jackets, speed boats, and patrol vessels for ongoing river monitoring. Permanent deployment of operatives in Eastern Region hotspots is under consideration, transforming temporary wins into lasting protection.

The strategy represents a fundamental shift: making illegal mining too risky and too costly to sustain. By combining intelligence, rapid response, and sustained presence, NAIMOS is protecting both the environment and the livelihoods of communities who've suffered from poisoned water and damaged land.

The Birim River is getting a second chance, and the communities along its banks are getting their water back.