Despite renewed government efforts to combat illegal mining, particularly in forest reserves and water bodies, the destructive practice continues to spread unchecked.
In the latest incident, hundreds of trees in the Adobewura section of the Jimmirah Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region have been illegally cleared within weeks.
Forestry officials warn that the alarming scale of destruction is undermining national efforts to protect Ghana’s ecosystems.
Once a thriving ecosystem, compartments 28 and 29 of the reserve are now under siege by illegal miners who have stripped the land bare in search of gold.
Hundreds of Cedrela trees, a vital part of the forest’s biodiversity, have been felled by illegal miner locally known as galamseyers to make way for their operations.
The Nkawie District Forest Manager, Abraham Essel admits that despite their efforts, illegal miners continue to outmaneuver authorities.
“The destruction of the Cedrela plantation and the whole forest ecosystem has lost its resilience and health. The activities of the illegal miners are greatly impacting on the sustainable forest management practices that we do”, Mr Essel said.
The illegal miners took over the forest earlier this year (2025) making it inaccessible for even forestry officials.
“They were conducting their operations under the protection weapon-wielding thugs,” the Forestry Commission disclosed.
But a recent deployment of the military to the forest reserve has temporarily brought a halt to the operation of the miners. The team tracked and confiscated over 10 excavators in the operation.
The Ashanti Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission Clement Omari argues that permanent military presence may be the only solution to curb the destruction.
“Their modus operandi is that, they vacate sites as soon as the military is deployed in the forests but quickly return when the military leaves. Having a standby or a permanent military base close to the forest will prevent the miners from returning,” Mr Omari proposed.
Despite different interventions and strategies to win the fight against galamsey, the illegal activity keeps thriving.
Acting Executive Director of the Forestry Commission, Lydia Opoku is calling for stronger collaboration with local communities to combat the menace.
She stated that “the miners are being protected by armed thugs with sophisticated machinery. We as Forestry Commission cannot match them so it is important the fringe communities and traditional authorities assist our forest guards to protect this natural resource.”
This is just one of many forest reserves across Ghana where illegal mining has devastated the land, poisoned rivers, and displaced wildlife. While the government has launched multiple initiatives to end galamsey, the question remains: Can Ghana stem this tide before it’s too late?
