The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Armah Kofi Buah, has disclosed that 44 out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves have been completely destroyed by illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources retreat in the Western Region, the minister warned that the scale of destruction poses a serious threat to the nation’s environmental and economic security.
He revealed that nine of the devastated reserves have become red zones, now inaccessible due to the presence of armed foreign miners.
According to Hon. Armah Kofi Buah, over 6,000 hectares of forest reserves—equivalent to nearly 8,000 football fields have been destroyed, with reclamation expected to cost the country billions of dollars.
He identified the Ashanti, Western and Western North Regions as the most affected.
To address the menace, the minister said government will complete stakeholder consultations on the draft Forest Wildlife Resource Management Bill, strengthen forest protection measures, and recruit more forest guards.
He stressed the urgent need to protect and properly equip forest guards, noting that some have been attacked and others have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Meanwhile, Nana Kobina Nketia V, President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, expressed deep concern about the exploitation of Ghana’s natural resources by foreigners.
He called for a fundamental rethink of how the country manages and protects its resources for future generations.
On his part, Western Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Nelson, described the fight against galamsey as difficult but achievable, stressing that Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) must be adequately resourced to effectively confront the problem.
