The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has launched Operation Water Shield, a sustained national enforcement campaign aimed at protecting Ghana’s major rivers, watersheds and other critical water resources from the effects of illegal mining.

NAIMOS said the operation marks a shift from isolated raids to a sustained, intelligence-led campaign targeting priority river systems and areas close to downstream communities and water-treatment facilities.

“Operation WATER SHIELD will focus on some of the country’s most threatened river systems, including the Birim, Ankobra, Tano, Bia, Pra and Offin Rivers, as well as affected sections of the Black and White Volta systems,” the Secretariat said in a statement issued on Friday, September 11, 2026.

It added that “strategic source areas and upper catchments whose degradation affects downstream water quality will also receive priority attention.”

According to NAIMOS, the operation will be carried out in collaboration with relevant security and state agencies.

“The operation will protect strategic river source areas; deny illegal miners access to riverbanks and waterways; dismantle mining logistics networks; disrupt the commercial and financial structures sustaining illegal mining; support the restoration of degraded water bodies, and establish sustained monitoring to prevent reoccupation of cleared areas,” the statement said.

NAIMOS said the ultimate objective is “to substantially degrade and contain illegal mining within protected watersheds, restrict the movement of heavy equipment into critical river systems, disrupt financing and supply networks, improve water quality and restore effective control over affected river basins.”

The Secretariat warned that enforcement under Operation Water Shield would be firm.

“Enforcement under Operation WATER SHIELD will be firm, sustained and uncompromising, within the law,” it said.

“Illegal miners operating on water bodies and riverbanks should expect their operations to be disrupted and their equipment seized, immobilised or otherwise dealt with in accordance with applicable law and established procedures.”

NAIMOS said excavators, changfan machines, water pumps, dredging equipment and other machinery used to destroy water bodies would be among the key targets.

“Excavators, changfan machines, water pumps, dredging equipment and other machinery used to destroy water bodies will remain key enforcement targets,” it said.

The operation will also target people and businesses supporting illegal mining activities.

“The campaign will extend beyond miners at riverbanks to the networks that enable their activities,” NAIMOS said.

It said this would include “facilitators, unauthorised fabricators of changfan machines, and individuals or companies that rent or supply excavators, pumps and other machinery for illegal mining.”

The Secretariat also said areas cleared of illegal mining would be subject to continued monitoring.

“Cleared river corridors will also be continuously monitored to prevent reoccupation and support environmental recovery, particularly in river basins that supply communities, agriculture and water-treatment systems,” it said.

NAIMOS called on traditional authorities, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, equipment owners, communities and the public to support the operation.

It urged them to provide “credible information on illegal mining activities and those who finance, facilitate or supply equipment for such operations.”