Operation Halt: Soldiers Torch Illegal Mining Equipment in Major Crackdown
Ghana's Military Intensifies Action Against Illegal Mining Operations
- Operation Halt destroyed 18 chanfans
- The operation specifically targeted illegal mining near water bodies and protected areas
- President Akufo-Addo has enhanced the operation against galamsey
In a bold move against illegal mining, known as galamsey, the Ghanaian military has ramped up its efforts with a decisive operation that saw the destruction of crucial mining machinery on the very first day.
Under the government’s “Operation Halt,” soldiers targeted various illegal mining sites across the country, obliterating 18 chanfans, 10 industrial water pumping machines, and one excavator.
Launched early Thursday morning, this crackdown focused on operations near water bodies and protected areas that have faced severe environmental degradation due to galamsey activities.
The destruction of these machines is part of a wider national initiative aimed at mitigating the harmful effects of illegal mining, which has severely polluted rivers, devastated farmlands, and led to widespread deforestation.
The military’s actions come in response to growing public outcry from environmental advocates, civil society organizations, and citizens demanding more robust measures to eradicate illegal mining.
Galamsey represents a critical environmental and economic issue for Ghana, jeopardizing both its water resources and agricultural viability.
In light of increasing calls for action, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has mandated the enhancement of Operation Halt, deploying additional military personnel to hotspots across the country.
The focus of the operation has been on dismantling machinery that supports illegal mining activities. Among the equipment destroyed were chanfans—large machines notorious for extracting gold from riverbeds and causing extensive damage by dredging and releasing harmful chemicals like mercury into the water, endangering aquatic ecosystems.
Additionally, the military took out 10 industrial water pumping machines, vital for washing gold-laden sediment from riverbeds, making it difficult for galamsey operators to sustain their illegal activities. The operation also saw the burning of an excavator, commonly used to excavate large pits during mining operations.
