The Forestry Commission’s Forest Services Division (FSD) has issued a stern warning to illegal miners operating in the Western Region, declaring that not even a single square meter of the region’s forest reserves will be ceded to the galamsey menace.
Addressing a news conference at the Takoradi Forest District Office on October, the Western Regional Manager for FSD, Nana Poku Bosompem, provided a comprehensive update on the fight against illegal mining from January to September 2026, revealing a mix of significant operational successes and daunting challenges.
Mr. Bosompem highlighted the ecological significance of the Western Region, noting it is home to 19 forest reserves spread across three districts—Tarkwa, Asankragua, and Juaboso—covering a total land area of 209,333 hectares. He emphasized that the region hosts the country’s only wet evergreen forest, the Ankasa Conservation Area.
However, this natural heritage is under severe threat. The Regional Manager disclosed that out of the 19 reserves, seven have been directly affected by illegal mining, with an estimated 1,533 hectares of forest land destroyed.
“Some of the mining is done under the canopy. You go in at a standard distance and see nothing; it appears intact. But when you go underneath, that is when you see trenches,” Mr. Bosompem explained, noting that the true scale of destruction is often hidden by the forest cover.
The FSD has intensified its enforcement, leading to 36 pending cases at the Tarkwa Circuit Court involving 159 suspects arrested between January and September this year.
While the Commission has successfully prevented the influx of heavy machinery, immobilizing three excavators during the period, miners have adapted by flooding the reserves with smaller, destructive equipment.
“From January to September ending, a total of 1,103 Changfa machines have been burnt,” Mr. Bosompem revealed. “Just this weekend alone, over 40 more were destroyed.”
He noted the economic irony of the destruction, estimating that each machine costs roughly 20,000 Ghana Cedis. This implies the miners have lost over 28 million Ghana Cedis in equipment this year alone. Additionally, 1,422 industrial pumping machines and 387 temporary structures were destroyed in the same period.
The conference focused heavily on the volatile situation in the Subri River Forest Reserve, specifically the Wassa Asamang enclave, which the Manager described as a “red zone” and a no-go area for forestry officials.
Mr. Bosompem painted a grim picture of an operation conducted on Saturday, October 17, which revealed an unprecedented level of encroachment. He described the scene as resembling a busy port or a DVLA office, with hundreds of vehicles, trucks, and motorbikes swarming the reserve.
“It is a representation of ECOWAS,” he said. “People from all walks of life, including foreign nationals, have besieged the area.”
The operation, involving a team of under 30 rapid response personnel, faced fierce resistance. The team arrested 20 suspects but had to retreat after encountering mobs blocking roads, wielding machetes, and employing what the Manager described as “spiritual fortifications.”
The FSD uses a color-coded system to assess the threat level in reserves: Green (controlled by forest guards), Yellow (needs rapid response support), Orange (massive incidence requiring wider teams), and Red (armed no-go zones).
Mr. Bosompem stated that while the FSD has managed to clear major hubs like the Almighty enclave, miners persistently return. He also addressed rumors of complicity within the security apparatus, stating, “We hear stories that officers are beneficiaries. We don’t care about the rumors. We are focused on the mission.”
In a fiery conclusion, Nana Poku Bosompem issued a direct ultimatum to the miners in Wassa Essamang and surrounding areas.
“Your 15 minutes of freedom is over,” he declared. “The days of frustrating forest officers are over. We are going to unleash the full force of the state and that of the Forest Commission in the coming days.”
He warned that any equipment left in the reserve would be destroyed and that the impending operation would be a “disaster of epic proportions” for those involved in the illegal trade.
“We are never, ever going to cede even one square metre of our forest reserves to miners. Retreat is not defeat; it is a phase in war. We will regroup and come back stronger,” he added.
The Forestry Commission is calling for inter-agency collaboration, specifically from the military and police, to dismantle the heavily fortified mining camps that now pose a major security threat to the Western Region.
By. Ebenezer Atiemo
