NAIMOS has cleared nearly 49 forest reserves of illegal miners - Prez Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana is making significant progress in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as his administration intensifies efforts to reclaim forest reserves and protect environmentally sensitive areas.

The President said the government would not relent in its campaign against illegal mining, despite the financial and logistical challenges involved in protecting reclaimed areas from renewed encroachment.

He made the remarks during his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper East Region, where he reaffirmed his administration's commitment to protecting Ghana's forests, water bodies and other natural resources from the destructive effects of illegal mining.

President Mahama said the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) had intensified operations against illegal miners and had seized several excavators and changfang machines used in illegal mining activities.

“NAIMOS is working very hard. We have seized excavators, we have seized Changfang machines, and we have driven illegal miners out of this area, and we are making progress,” he said.

According to the President, almost 49 forest reserves had been invaded by illegal miners, but government interventions had resulted in significant progress in clearing many of the affected reserves.

“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 added.

The government's approach, he said, is focused not only on removing illegal miners but also on ensuring that reclaimed areas remain protected after security operations have ended.

President Mahama disclosed that the government had changed its strategy for securing forest reserves after discovering that illegal miners were returning to areas handed back to the Forestry Commission following clearance operations.

He explained that the government previously transferred reclaimed forest reserves to Forestry Commission officials after illegal miners had been removed.

However, the approach proved insufficient to prevent some miners from returning.

“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,” President Mahama said.

The new strategy means military personnel will remain in selected reclaimed forest reserves to deter illegal miners from returning

The President acknowledged that maintaining military detachments in forest reserves would increase the government's expenditure.

He said the state would have to provide food, logistics and other resources to sustain the personnel deployed to protect the reclaimed areas.

“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,” he stated.

The President's comments underline the government's position that the cost of protecting Ghana's forests and water resources is necessary despite the additional financial burden.

Illegal mining has remained a major environmental concern in Ghana, with activities linked to the degradation of forest reserves, pollution of rivers and streams, destruction of farmlands and loss of biodiversity.

The government's renewed campaign involves the security agencies, NAIMOS, the Forestry Commission and other state institutions working to remove illegal miners and equipment from environmentally sensitive areas.

The administration has also emphasised the need to prevent illegal mining operations from returning to areas that have already been cleared.

President Mahama said the government remained determined to sustain the campaign and protect Ghana's natural resources for future generations.

The latest strategy of maintaining security personnel in reclaimed forest reserves is expected to form part of broader efforts to ensure that gains made through anti-galamsey operations are not reversed.