President John Dramani Mahama has declared nine forest reserves in Ghana free of illegal mining commonly known as galamsey.
According to Mahama, soldiers will remain stationed in nine forest reserves cleared of illegal mining to prevent operators from returning to the sites.
Mahama stressed that the decision followed previous experiences in which illegal miners returned to the reserves after military personnel deployed to flush them out had withdrawn.
President Mahama disclosed that all nine forest reserves previously designated as red zones due to the extensive destruction and the presence of heavily armed illegal miners had been cleared, with troops deployed to protect the areas.
Speaking during a courtesy call by chiefs from the Western North Region, Mahama stated, “We have now cleared all nine of those red zones. There are no galamsey operators in those forest reserves, and we have stationed soldiers there to ensure that the illegal miners do not return. The soldiers will remain in those areas”.
He further called for stronger collaboration with traditional authorities to sustain the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Mahama also noted that previous efforts to clear some forest reserves had failed because illegal miners returned shortly after soldiers withdrew.
“Whenever forest guards went there, they were fired upon, and some lost their lives,” he said.
President Mahama further disclosed that the GoldBod and the military will support forest restoration.
He revealed that the GoldBod had begun engaging the military in a programme to reclaim destroyed forest areas and replant them with trees.
Mahama detailed that under the programme, bulldozers would be used to level degraded land, while the Forestry Commission would work with the military on reclamation and reforestation.
Also, President Mahama also announced that the Finance Minister had allocated GH¢400 million in the 2027 Budget to recruit additional Blue Water Guards to patrol water bodies and intensify the fight against illegal mining.
Mahama disclosed that the guards had been instructed to destroy changfang machines used for illegal mining whenever they encountered them.
According to Mahama, several machines had already been destroyed, helping to clear many major river channels.
Meanwhile, Mahama also appealed to Chiefs and traditional authorities across the country to support the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to Mahama, enforcement measures must be accompanied by the creation of alternative livelihood opportunities for affected communities.
Mahama stressed that the collaboration of chiefs was critical to the success of the campaign, looking at their close relationship with residents and their influence in traditional areas where galamsey persists.
President Mahama further called for stronger collaboration between the government, traditional authorities and security agencies to address Ghana’s illegal mining menace.
Mahama stated, “We need the help of our chiefs in the fight against galamsey because you live in the community with the people, and sometimes NAIMOS is doing a good job, but sometimes we go into some communities and the youth and the traditional authorities, and everybody fight back at NAIMOS.
“There are incidents where the soldiers have had to discharge firearms, which resulted in a few deaths. We want to avoid that, and so if we can get the collaboration of our chiefs to help in the fight against illegal mining, especially in our forest reserves and in our water bodies.”
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