2 weeks Ago By News Ghana
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/ghana-intensifies-crackdown-on-illegal-mining-amid-rising-national-concerns/A recent dawn raid by Ghanaian security forces on a sprawling illegal mining settlement has reignited national debate over the government’s ability to combat destructive small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey.
Joint teams from the Forestry Commission and Armed Forces stormed Abrewa Ninkrane, a hidden enclave within the Western Region’s Subri Forest Reserve, on April 15, torching makeshift camps and equipment used by miners allegedly from Nigeria, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. The operation aimed to halt the rapid deforestation and pollution plaguing one of Ghana’s critical forest reserves.National Petroleum Authority CEO Godwin Edudzi Tameklo defended security agencies during an April 19 appearance on Key Points on TV3, acknowledging public frustration but insisting efforts to curb galamsey are underway.
“People want more action, but I can assure you these agencies are not sleeping on the job,” he said. Tameklo linked the crisis to legacy challenges while expressing confidence in President John Mahama’s commitment to addressing it. “President Mahama is determined to fight this menace, which worsened over the past eight years,” he added, referencing reports that Forestry Commission officials long knew about the illegal settlement.
Critics, however, argue the state’s response remains inadequate. Senyo Hosi, Convener of the civil society group One Ghana Movement, labeled Ghana a “failing state” during the same program, citing armed galamsey operators who reportedly open fire on security personnel. He called for urgent investigations into how foreign nationals established an unmapped community within the reserve, describing it as a national security threat.
“How could a foreign-led settlement operate undetected? This is a disgrace,” Hosi stated, demanding accountability from authorities.The raid’s aftermath revealed startling details. Western Regional Forestry Manager Nana Kwabena Bosompim estimated over 10,000 miners had occupied the area, far exceeding initial projections.
The site included wooden brothels and shelters doubling as commercial hubs, illustrating the trade’s entrenched nature. Bosompim warned miners to vacate reserves and water bodies or face legal consequences, adding that a two-week security presence would prevent their return. “Young girls now prefer prostitution here over education.
We must end this cycle,” he said.Illegal mining has long plagued Ghana, Africa’s second-largest gold producer, ravaging ecosystems and contaminating water sources. Despite periodic crackdowns and policy measures, enforcement struggles persist due to corruption, limited resources, and the involvement of organized networks.
The latest operation underscores both the scale of the challenge and the societal tensions it fuels, pitting economic desperation against environmental survival. With public trust waning, the government faces mounting pressure to translate raids into sustained, systemic solutions. News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.
com.gh/ghana-intensifies-crackdown-on-illegal-mining-amid-rising-national-concerns/.
