No forest reserve has been lost to illegal mining under Mahama government — Lands Minister
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, says the government has tightened its fight against illegal mining in forest reserves, leading to hundreds of arrests and the seizure of mining equipment over the past six months.
According to the minister, intensified enforcement operations by the Ministry, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and other stakeholders, have significantly curtailed illegal mining activities within the country's protected forest areas.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 15, he said the operations form part of the government's broader strategy to safeguard Ghana's forests and restore confidence in the country's efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
"I'm happy to tell you today, I'm not here to tell you about Red Zones because we have not had any reserve lost, which means that government, supporting the Forestry Commission, is firmly in control of our forests," he said.
Armah Kofi Buah disclosed that 258 suspects had been arrested during operations carried out in forest reserves across the country.
He said authorities also demobilised six excavators and 765 sampan machines, while seizing 1,225 pumping machines, 40 gold detectors and 212 motorbikes used in illegal mining activities.
The minister further stated that 430 illegal structures and 35 tricycles linked to the operations had been destroyed as part of the enforcement exercise.
"In our determination to protect our forests from illegal mining activities, the ministry working closely with the Forestry Commission and other stakeholders intensified enforcement operations within forest reserves, and these are the results just in the last six months," he noted.