Over 100 Structures Destroyed, Eight Excavators Seized
On July 22, 2025, the Savannah Regional Security Council (REGSEC), led by Regional Minister Salisu Be-Awurbe, conducted a raid in Tuntumba, Kalaba, and Gbiniyiri, Bole District, destroying over 100 makeshift structures used by illegal miners and seizing eight excavators. Dozens of miners, including foreign nationals, fled, abandoning equipment.
Be-Awurbe emphasized targeting financiers of galamsey, noting the high cost of equipment like excavators indicates powerful backers. The operation, the second in Bole within three months, aims to curb environmental damage to the Black Volta, where heavy metals and blocked water paths threaten local water sources.
In early 2025, operations in Bamboi seized 12 excavators and arrested nine individuals, including five Chinese nationals. Bole and Central Gonja remain galamsey hubs, with the Black Volta heavily polluted, risking a water crisis by 2030, per ISS Africa. REGSEC’s crackdown aligns with President Mahama’s anti-galamsey pledge.
Be-Awurbe called for legal mining concessions to reduce illegal activities, urging the Minerals Commission to act swiftly. The operation, backed by police and military, reflects a broader push by NAIMOS to protect Ghana’s ecosystems, with ongoing efforts to prosecute financiers and restore water bodies.