The Government of Ghana has unveiled intensified measures to combat illicit mining operations, with a particular focus on rivers, streams, and forest reserves, as part of a broader initiative to protect the nation’s natural resources.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson made the announcement while addressing Parliament on Wednesday, February 25, highlighting the coordinated national response to environmental degradation caused by unauthorized mining activities.
According to Dr. Forson, the strategy will involve a nationwide waterbody rehabilitation and cleaning campaign across designated mining zones, spearheaded by the Ghana Armed Forces, to restore ecological balance and curb the environmental impact of illegal operations.
He further indicated that the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) will escalate its enforcement and monitoring activities, prioritizing the elimination of unlawful mining within rivers, streams, and protected forest reserves.
“Special efforts in the form of a nationwide waterbody cleaning campaign within designated mining areas will be undertaken by the Ghana Armed Forces,” Dr. Forson stated. “The NAIMOS shall intensify their activities against illegal mining, especially illegal mining operations in waterbodies and forest reserves.”
This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to sustainable natural resource management and the protection of Ghana’s ecological heritage while reinforcing legal compliance in the mining sector.
