The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have intensified their efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, by conducting a series of coordinated operations across the Northern, Central, and Southern Commands. The GAF announced that these targeted operations specifically focus on major illegal mining hubs, particularly in areas such as forest reserves and river basins where environmental degradation has been most significant.
Operation Breakdown:
Northern Command: Troops were deployed to the Bole area and the Black Volta Basin, where illegal mining activities have been linked to the pollution of water bodies and destruction of farmlands.
Central Command: The military targeted the Nkawie and Mankranso Forest Reserves, where extensive illegal mining has posed a threat to biodiversity and forest conservation efforts.
Southern Command: Operations in the Southern Command were concentrated in the Jerusalem area and the Subri Forest Reserve, both of which have witnessed a surge in illegal mining encampments in recent months.
During the operations, several excavators, water pumping machines, and other mining-related equipment were seized and immobilized. The troops also dismantled and destroyed numerous makeshift shelters and structures used by illegal miners within the forest reserves. These efforts are part of the government’s renewed campaign to restore Ghana’s forest reserves and protect vital water bodies from further pollution, deforestation, and ecological damage.
By: Kobina Welsing
