Mahama announces GH¢200m for reclamation of lands destroyed by galamsey

President John Dramani Mahama has announced a GH¢200 million allocation for the reclamation of lands destroyed by illegal mining as part of efforts to restore degraded forest reserves and protect Ghana’s environment.

He said the funding would support the reclamation of 5,000 acres of land from 2027, as part of the government's intensified efforts to tackle illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking at the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra on Monday, October 19, the President said nine forest reserves previously designated as red zones because of armed illegal miners had been cleared of the activity and were being prepared for reclamation.

“GH¢200 million has been allocated for the reclamation of 5,000 acres of land, starting next year," the President said.

Mr Mahama said illegal mining had affected 48 of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves, with nine of the affected reserves classified as red zones because security personnel could not safely enter them.

He disclosed that the government had confiscated more than 8,200 items used in illegal mining, including 135 excavators, and retrieved nearly 200 firearms from people involved in the activity.

The President also said 6,060 excavators had been registered and detained at the ports, while 2,059 had been fitted with tracking devices to help authorities monitor their use.

Mr Mahama commended Newmont for reclaiming nearly 800 acres of mined-out land and planting useful crops on the restored areas.

He also disclosed that the Ghana Gold Board had awarded the Ghana Armed Forces a contract to reclaim 253 acres of land destroyed in the Tano Nimiri Forest, with work ongoing.

The President further announced that GH¢200 million had been allocated in the 2027 Budget to support the activities of the National Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Illegal Mining (NICCIM) and the Blue Water Guards.