President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana is recording progress in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as the government intensifies efforts to reclaim forest reserves and other environmentally sensitive areas.
He noted that the renewed campaign is beginning to yield results, particularly in reserves that had been heavily encroached upon. The President credited the National Anti‑Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) for its role in seizing excavators and changfang machines used by illegal miners, and in removing miners from several forest reserves.
Speaking during his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper East Region, President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding forests, water bodies, and other natural resources from the destructive impact of illegal mining. He said NAIMOS had intensified operations and was making headway in reclaiming reserves previously invaded.
“NAIMOS is working very hard. We have seized excavators, we have seized changfang machines, and we have driven illegal miners out of this area. Out of the almost 49 forest reserves that were invaded, we have been able to clear as many of them as possible of illegal miners,” he stated.
“What we initially did was that we handed the places to the Forestry Commission after clearing them, but the illegal miners don’t fear the forest guards, and so we now put a military detachment after we clear a forest reserve.
“That means we will have to spend more money to feed the soldiers and provide logistics for them to continue to stay in the forest, but we will not give up the fight.”
The President acknowledged the additional resources required to sustain security deployments in reclaimed forest reserves but said the government would remain committed to preventing illegal miners from returning to the cleared areas.
Illegal mining remains one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental challenges, with successive governments facing difficulties in enforcing regulations and preventing miners from returning to areas that have previously been cleared.
Source: Nii Ayikwei Okine
