Government To Designate Forest Reserves And Water Bodies As Security Zones In New Galamsey Crackdown
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has announced that government will soon designate all forest reserves and water bodies across the country as security zones in a fresh push to tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking on GTV on Tuesday, September 24, Mr. Kofi Buah said the policy forms part of a broader set of reforms aimed at strengthening enforcement and protecting the environment from further degradation.
“We are undertaking policy reforms and stakeholder engagements, one is to strengthen enforcement. Why did we establish the Blue Water Guard?” he quizzed, referencing the government-backed task force formed to protect Ghana’s rivers.
According to the minister, the decision to declare forest reserves and water bodies as security zones follows a directive from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last week.
He disclosed that permanent security forces will be stationed in these areas to deter and apprehend illegal miners.
“With the level of destruction that this government came to meet, we are under no illusion that it is going to be solved in eight months. But we are proud of what we are doing. This is a listening government, and we are going to do more,” Mr. Kofi Buah assured.
The announcement comes amid mounting pressure from environmentalists, civil society groups and local communities for stronger action, with some calling for a state of emergency to be declared over illegal mining.
Concerns intensified after a recent joint report by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and UK-backed NGO Africa Pure Earth revealed mercury contamination levels in certain water bodies were up to 500 times higher than acceptable limits.
While the government has rolled out several interventions to address galamsey, including the Blue Water Guard initiative and reforms in small-scale mining licensing, critics say the measures have not gone far enough to stem the destruction of rivers, forests and farmlands.
By elevating these critical natural resources to security zones, the Lands Ministry hopes to stem the tide of environmental degradation and restore public confidence in the government’s anti-galamsey drive.
