Ghana is yet to achieve its desired outcome in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), despite improvements in the situation, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has acknowledged.
Spokesperson for the Ministry, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, said the government inherited extensive environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, with forest reserves, farmlands and water bodies severely affected.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View, he said the scale of the damage would require sustained efforts and could not be reversed overnight.
“Currently, if I were to comment on the progress in the fight against illegal mining, I would say that we have certainly not gotten to where we want to be. However, we are also not where we used to be,” he said.
Mr Schandorf said data from the Forestry Commission showed that more than 8,500 hectares of forest land had been destroyed between 2021 and 2025.
He said the scale of the destruction made it unrealistic to expect the government to restore all affected areas within a short period.
“You cannot immediately redeem the situation. It cannot be any intervention of magic to undo the extent of devastation,” he said.
According to him, the situation is further complicated by the continued occurrence of illegal mining in some parts of the country, meaning the government must tackle both existing environmental damage and ongoing activities.
Mr Schandorf said the government’s response therefore involves not only restoring degraded areas but also strengthening measures to prevent further destruction.
He nevertheless expressed confidence in the government’s approach to the fight against illegal mining, saying continued enforcement and restoration efforts would help protect Ghana’s forests, farmlands and water bodies.
He maintained that while significant challenges remain, sustained commitment and stronger enforcement would be necessary to achieve the government’s desired outcome in the fight against galamsey.
Source: Citi Newsroom
