Nine excavators and a bulldozer used for illicit mining operations in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, which is situated in the Enchi Forest District of the Western North Region, have been seized as a result of a combined operation by the Ghana Armed Forces and the Forestry Commission (FC).
Four people were also arrested as a result of the operation, which took place on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in the reserve’s Compartments 17 and 20.
Persistent actions to stop illicit mining
The Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission’s Enchi District said in a statement that the crackdown comes after a number of attempts to purge the reserve of unauthorized miners. Operational personnel from the Rapid Response Team and the Enchi Forest District raided the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve on Tuesday, March 4, following a tip-off, prior to the most recent raid. Twelve illicit mining excavators were successfully driven out by the team during that operation. But because armed miners outnumbered them, they were unable to make any arrests.
Intelligence inputs on Thursday, March 6, indicated that the illegal miners were preparing to return to the reserve. Quickly returning to the jungle, the squad stopped the miners from reentering.
Miners return with weapons in hand.
On Saturday, March 8, despite these attempts, illegal miners reappeared, this time with more weapons and in larger numbers. Once again, the task force was outnumbered and unable to make arrests because the miners refused to leave the reserve despite the enforcement team’s efforts to remove the excavators and arrest the offenders.
Following social media reports of the extensive illicit mining operations, officials sent a bolstered squad, including 30 military soldiers and the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response Unit (RRU), to protect the reserve, seize the excavators, and arrest suspects.
The battle against illegal mining’s next steps
According to the statement, a formal complaint has been filed with the Enchi District Police Command for additional investigation, and the confiscated equipment is being transferred to the Enchi District Assembly grounds.
In Ghana, illegal mining, often known as “galamsey,” continues to pose a serious danger to the environment and the economy by destroying farmlands, polluting water supplies, and causing deforestation. The government’s increased commitment to combating the threat and safeguarding the nation’s natural resources is demonstrated by the most recent operation.
In order to stop additional damage brought on by illicit mining, authorities have reaffirmed their will to step up enforcement and monitoring activities in forest reserves around the nation.
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