President John Dramani Mahama says soldiers will remain in nine forest reserves cleared of illegal mining to stop galamsey operators from returning.
The President said the government had removed illegal miners from all nine reserves. Authorities had marked the areas as red zones because of severe environmental damage and the presence of heavily armed miners.
“We have now cleared all nine of those red zones. There are no galamsey operators in those forest reserves, and we have stationed soldiers there to ensure that the illegal miners do not return. The soldiers will remain in those areas,” he said.
President Mahama made the announcement during a meeting with chiefs from the Western North Region. He urged traditional leaders to work with the government to sustain the fight against illegal mining.
He explained that previous operations had failed to keep some reserves free from galamsey. Illegal miners often returned after soldiers withdrew and forest guards resumed their duties.
“Whenever forest guards went there, they were fired upon, and some lost their lives,” the President said.
He called on chiefs to help address illegal mining in their communities. He noted that some young people and traditional authorities had resisted operations by the National Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Illegal Mining (NAIMOS).
According to the President, chiefs could help tackle the problem because they live among the people and understand the local factors that encourage illegal mining.
He also raised concerns about deaths during enforcement operations. Some incidents involved soldiers firing their weapons, highlighting the need to manage such operations carefully.
President Mahama also outlined plans to restore forest reserves damaged by illegal mining. He said GoldBod had begun engaging the military to support land reclamation and replanting efforts.
Under the proposed programme, bulldozers would level damaged land. The Forestry Commission would then work with the relevant agencies to replant the areas with economic trees.
The President also announced that the Finance Minister had allocated GH¢400 million in the 2027 Budget to recruit additional Blue Water Guards.
The guards will patrol rivers and other water bodies to tackle illegal mining. Mahama said they had instructions to destroy changfang machines used by illegal miners whenever they encountered them.
He added that authorities had already destroyed several machines and cleared many major river channels. However, illegal mining in smaller tributaries remains a challenge.
Mining activities in these tributaries continue to wash mud and silt into rivers, affecting water quality and undermining efforts to restore the waterways.
The government’s plans combine military protection, river patrols and environmental restoration. Their success will depend on sustained enforcement and cooperation among security agencies, traditional authorities and local communities.
