By Felix Cofie
The Minister of lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has vowed to use all legal means necessary to rid the country of illegal mining.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, the Minister outlined a five-strategic pillars to tackle illegal mining:
- Reforming the Licensing Regime – Ensuring transparency and accountability in mining permits.
- Strengthening Law Enforcement – Intensifying crackdowns on illegal operations and prosecuting offenders.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration – Partnering with traditional leaders, local authorities, and civil society to promote sustainable mining.
- Reclamation of Degraded Lands – Restoring mined-out areas and enforcing responsible mining practices.
- Alternative Livelihoods for Mining Communities – Supporting affected communities with sustainable income sources.
The government,he noted has reclaimed seven out of nine forest reserves previously controlled by armed illegal miners. The recovered reserves include: Jimira & Jimira Extension, Afao Hills, Tano Anwia, Ofin Shelterbelt, Anhwiaso East & Anhwiaso South, and Subri. Efforts are underway to reclaim the remaining two reserves: Asenayo and Desiri.
On Ongoing and Future Measures, he said,a Joint military-forestry operations have led to 100 excavators, 3 bulldozers, and 4 vehicles seized. A Geological surveys of mineral-rich areas will also be conducted.
- Geotagging and geofencing of excavators to monitor their use.
- Public education campaigns on environmental protection, integrated into school curricula.
- Decentralization of mining licenses to improve transparency and reduce corruption.
The sector minister urged traditional leaders, local assemblies, and civil society to support the fight against illegal mining. “We must safeguard Ghana’s natural resources for future generations,” he emphasized.
One Response
Hon Minister, I listened to you yesterday in your press meeting and you said some of these galamseyers have become terrorists. What I know is that this galamsey fight has escalated to a war situation which you concede. Please Hon Minister, in any war situation no one wins in the battlefield but negotiations and dialogue will the trick. As an Environmental Engineer, I have done documentaries with some news media why pollution of water bodies and depletion of our forest reserves must stop. Previous government set up task forces with different names but to no avail. Excavators were burnt and now been burnt but you see the miners are emboldened. Please Hon Minister, lets stop the tough talking and come to the negotiating table. I have written an open letter to the President which may be published in the Daily Graphic. I have proffered some propositions that can form the basis of the negotiations. Please Hon, I can send a copy if you so desire