President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has degraded approximately 12,000 acres of land across Ghana, prompting government efforts to reclaim and restore affected areas.
Speaking at the Mining in Motion Conference on Monday, October 19, 2026, the President said the government had begun rehabilitation efforts to restore forest reserves damaged by illegal mining activities.
President Mahama revealed that 48 of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves had been invaded by illegal miners. Some of these areas were designated as high-risk red zones because heavily armed miners posed serious security threats to enforcement officers.
He stated that the affected forest reserves had since been recovered from illegal miners and were undergoing restoration as part of measures to protect Ghana’s environment and natural resources.
As part of the nationwide galamsey crackdown, the President disclosed that security operations had resulted in the confiscation of more than 8,200 items of equipment, including 135 excavators and more than 200 firearms.
Mahama commended security personnel and other stakeholders involved in the fight against illegal mining, praising their efforts to reclaim forest reserves and support environmental restoration.
The government’s ongoing initiatives aim to tackle illegal mining, restore degraded lands, protect forest reserves and promote sustainable mining practices in Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com