The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that seven out of nine forest reserves overrun by illegal miners have been successfully reclaimed.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on March 19, 2025, he credited the achievement to a joint security task force involving the military, police, and Forestry Commission’s rapid response team.
“I’m proud to tell you, with the cooperation of the security agencies and the military, we have taken back seven of these nine forests, and we are working very hard to ensure that the remaining two are fully reclaimed,” the minister stated.
He further revealed that the operations led to the confiscation of at least 60 excavators and assured the public that “everything possible” was being done to recover the remaining reserves.
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In a related development, the minister has also revoked all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024, citing procedural violations.
“The finding is very clear, those licenses from December 7 were rushed, the due processes were not followed, and the right things were not done,” Buah stated.
Additionally, he announced a complete overhaul of the community mining scheme, replacing it with small-scale mining cooperatives designed to benefit local communities directly. This forms part of the government’s broader efforts to regulate the mining sector, including stricter controls on excavator imports and a ban on floating mining equipment.
The minister commended the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence for their support in the fight against illegal mining and called on the public to support sustainable mining practices to protect Ghana’s natural resources.
