Illegal mining in forest reserves will no longer be tolerated, Defence Minister Dr. Omane Boamah has warned, urging all illegal miners to vacate immediately.
In a message shared on his official Facebook page, Dr. Omane Boamah insisted that those interested in mining must follow legal procedures.
“In the name of God and Ghana, stay away from the forest reserves and galamsey! A word to the wise is enough!” he warned.
His Facebook post read:
His comment follows a joint operation by the Forestry Commission and the military, which led to the seizure of 10 excavators, a bulldozer, and the arrest of four individuals involved in illegal mining within the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in the Enchi Forest District of the Western North Region.
The operation, which took place on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Compartment 17 and 20 of the reserve, follows multiple attempts by forestry officials to remove illegal miners from the area.
Commenting on the raid, the minister emphasized the need for illegal miners to respect the sanctity of Ghana’s forest reserves and cease activities that continue to threaten the nation’s ecological balance.
The Defence Minister’s statement underscores the government’s growing frustration with the persistence of illegal mining, which has caused extensive environmental degradation, particularly in Ghana’s forest reserves and water bodies.
The menace of galamsey has been a long-standing issue in Ghana, with successive governments struggling to curb its devastating effects despite numerous interventions.
In many areas, entire ecosystems have been decimated, leaving once-thriving agricultural lands barren and communities grappling with water shortages due to contamination by toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide.
The unchecked activities of galamsey operators have led to widespread deforestation, destruction of farmlands, and severe pollution of major rivers and water bodies, including the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin Rivers.
