The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) says it has destroyed 92 chanfang machines in four days during operations against illegal mining on the Tano River at Asemkrom in the Aowin District of the Western North Region.The latest operation, conducted on October 18, followed an earlier exercise on October 15, when the task force dismantled illegal mining activities near the Jema-Asekrom Forest Reserve.According to NAIMOS, the first operation resulted in the destruction of 61 chanfang machines, the recovery of six water pumps and a generator, and the arrest of three suspected operators.The suspects were subsequently handed over to the police for further investigation.However, follow-up patrols on October 18 revealed that illegal miners had returned to parts of the river, with several platforms and chanfang machines operating directly on the water.NAIMOS personnel subsequently destroyed another 31 chanfang machines and seized two outboard motors linked to the activities.The two operations brought the total number of chanfang machines destroyed along the affected stretch of the river to 92.In a statement dated October 18, NAIMOS said the continued return of illegal miners after enforcement exercises underscored the need for sustained patrols and monitoring to prevent cleared sites from being reoccupied.The secretariat also expressed concern about the environmental impact of the activities, noting that in-stream mining had increased the river’s turbidity and caused visible environmental degradation along affected sections.It warned that the activities posed a continuing threat to the adjoining forest environment and communities that depend on the river system.NAIMOS said it would maintain enforcement operations along the Tano River and other identified illegal mining hotspots while strengthening engagement with communities to discourage participation in illegal mining and encourage residents to report suspicious activities.The operations form part of Operation WATER SHIELD, a campaign aimed at protecting Ghana’s strategic water bodies by restricting illegal miners’ access to rivers and riverbanks, dismantling mining infrastructure and preventing illegal activities from resuming in cleared areas.NAIMOS has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the Tano River and its tributaries through targeted operations against illegal mining activities that threaten the country’s water resources and environment.