A Fetish Priest protecting illegal miners (galamseyers) at a galamsey site has bolted following the Western Regional Anti-Galamsey Task Force storming the area.
The Anti-Galamsey Task Force discovered a shrine within a makeshift structure at the banks of the River Ankobra.
According to reports, the room is used for purification rituals.
One Sheep, One Goat, Six Fowls, One Guinea Fowl, 3,000 cedis worth of cowries and an additional cash payment of GHC 300.00 were found at the makeshift structure.
Two sheep and one fowl were also found near the shrine, tied, likely awaiting sacrifice.
Also, the Western Naval Command discovered a shrine dedicated to Maame Wata, known locally as Togbe Nana Benin.
The fetish priest, upon noticing the anti-galamsey team bolted without attempting to use his spiritual powers, which he claimed to possess.
A naval officer at the scene stated, “This room is designated for the mallam or juju man. You’ve escaped, yet you’re supposed to wait and meet with us. We don’t have time for this; we only answer to God. You’re running away? Next time, we expect to see you with the juju.”
“This is where they consult the gods—their operating bed, so to speak. That’s the Maame Wata shrine. They believe that by doing this, they’ll be granted more gold, but in reality, they’re destroying our water bodies. We won’t forgive them; we’ll destroy everything.
“Wherever their gods reside, we’re ready to confront them. We’ve encountered various rituals white sheep, white fowls, and other things but we won’t back down. We’ll take them down and move forward,” the naval officer stated.
Also, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has issued a stern warning to illegal miners commonly known as galamseyers.
The land minister revealed President John Mahama’s focus is clear as he wants to take direct control of every river body.
According to the lands minister, there will be a clear occupation by security agencies on all Ghana’s river bodies.
Armah-Kofi Buah warned galamseyers violating and destroying water bodies to stop, as the government is determined to turn the water blue again.
Speaking during an anti-galamsey operation with officers of the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Ankobra River from Wiawso Armah-Kofi Buah stated, “We are sending a warning to anybody who has been violating our laws and destroying our water bodies. We are determined to turn them blue again.
“This order has already been given — stay out, or you do so at your own peril,”
“We are moving to another major phase of our fight against illegal mining. There is no law in Ghana that allows anybody to mine in any river body,” he said. “Yet, our major rivers that are key to our survival are being destroyed.”
“In the coming months, you will see a new shift. President Mahama’s focus is clear — we are going to take direct control of every river body. There will be a clear occupation by our security forces on all the major rivers,” he said.
Additionally, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and MP for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, has revealed that the John Mahama-led government will intensify their fight against galamsey.
According to Kwakye Ofosu, the military will be stationed permanently in 44 galamsey areas.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face programme on Tuesday, September 16, Kwakye Ofosu stated, “All the 44 areas that are threatened by galamsey, there is going to be a permanent military presence”.
“In the past, they would go and flush out the characters engaged in galamsey and then leave, but now they will have a permanent military presence”.
He added, “All the rivers we have will have a permanent military presence”.
See the post below:
In a dramatic turn, a spiritualist allegedly protecting galamsey operators at River Ankobra makes a quick escape as security forces approach.#TV3GH #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/Wix8hTPM7M
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 18, 2025