The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has played a crucial role in recovering several forest reserves from illegal miners across the country, Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah disclosed during Monday’s Government Accountability Series briefing.
Speaking at the presidential communications event on July 21, 2025, Dr. Omane Boamah praised the military’s decisive intervention in areas where forestry officials had previously been unable to operate due to the entrenched presence of illegal mining activities, locally known as galamsey.
“The recovery of several forest reserves, which our forest guards could not” access due to illegal miners’ activities, represents a significant breakthrough in Ghana’s environmental protection efforts.
The Defence Minister emphasized that the Ghana Armed Forces has played a central role in the ongoing national campaign against illegal mining.
The military’s involvement has proven essential where traditional forest protection measures failed.
Forest guards had been unable to venture into these degraded areas due to the dangerous and well-established illegal mining operations that had taken root in protected forest zones.
Dr. Omane Boamah’s revelations come as part of the government’s new accountability initiative designed to provide regular updates on ministerial performance and key national issues.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series press briefing, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending illegal mining, stating that strong political will is driving the fight.
The Defence Minister has consistently warned illegal operators to cease activities in forest reserves.
Earlier this year, he issued stern warnings that the government would no longer tolerate such environmental destruction, particularly in protected forest areas and water bodies.
The successful recovery operations represent a coordinated effort between the Ghana Armed Forces and the Forestry Commission, demonstrating the government’s multi-pronged approach to tackling the galamsey menace that has devastated Ghana’s environment and water resources.
These military-led operations have not only reclaimed critical forest reserves but also restored access for legitimate forest management activities.
The success of these interventions highlights the importance of robust enforcement mechanisms in protecting Ghana’s natural heritage from illegal exploitation.
The government’s enhanced anti-galamsey campaign, with military backing, signals a new phase in environmental protection efforts, moving beyond warnings to concrete action in reclaiming and protecting the nation’s forest reserves.
Story Written By Prince Asante Kwarteng | Kobby Kyei News
