Armed illegal miners have once again encroached on the Jimirah Forest Reserve and the nearby Offinso Shelterbelt in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, prompting the deployment of a police task force to contain the situation, regional authorities confirmed Thursday.
Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who disclosed the development during a working visit to the Bekwai Municipality on Sept. 5, said a joint police and anti-illegal mining team had been dispatched to respond to the incursion.
The renewed invasion comes just weeks after security forces and the Forestry Commission seized multiple excavators during a similar operation in the protected reserve. Authorities say the miners, often operating with heavy machinery and in armed groups, have become increasingly difficult to apprehend due to the rapid dissemination of information on enforcement actions.
“When these activities are first reported in the media, the perpetrators tend to flee before our teams can arrive,” Dr. Amoakohene said. “That’s why we are urging citizens to report such incidents directly to the National Illegal Mining Secretariat, allowing for faster response and potential arrests.”
Illegal mining—known locally as galamsey—has emerged as a persistent threat to Ghana’s natural ecosystems, particularly in forest reserves and along riverbanks. The government has ramped up its enforcement efforts in recent years, though critics say sustained progress has been elusive.
Dr. Amoakohene reiterated the administration’s commitment to eradicating the practice, describing it as a “destructive canker” that undermines both environmental sustainability and national development.
The minister’s remarks followed observations of fresh mining activity near the Kokotro area, underscoring the ongoing challenge authorities face in containing illegal operations across the resource-rich region.
