Eight out of nine ‘no-go’ forest reserves cleared of illegal miners

The government has successfully removed illegal miners from eight out of nine forest reserves previously designated as no-go zones due to severe environmental degradation, President John Dramani Mahama has revealed.

Speaking at the Global Mining Summit, on Monday, June 2, 2025, President Mahama described the action as a major milestone in the country’s renewed efforts to reclaim degraded lands and promote responsible mining.

He stressed that the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to ensure sustainability within the mining sector and protect Ghana’s natural ecosystems.

“Let me be clear at this juncture, artisanal miners are not enemies of the state. If properly trained and supported, they can be allies in our development,” the President said, adding “Working together with the small-scale mining sector, we will reclaim our forest reserves and restore the purity of our water bodies.”

He added that the government has deployed river guards to combat illegal mining along water bodies and riverbanks and emphasised the importance of regulating the use of heavy machinery in mining operations.

“We will track excavators to know whether they are being used for illegal mining. Ghana currently has more excavators than the rest of Africa combined. The new permitting regime will not allow you to import any excavator unless you have a valid permit to do so,” Mahama stated.

He noted that the government is collaborating with small-scale miners to support land reclamation, reflecting a shift toward more inclusive and environmentally conscious mining policies.