Ten individuals have been arrested for engaging in galamsey activities within the protected Boin Forest Reserve in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region.

A surveillance operation was carried out through a coordinated effort between the Enchi Forest Division and military personnel tasked with safeguarding the country’s natural resources.

The suspects were apprehended in a section of the forest located close to the border with the Ivory Coast, an area increasingly targeted by illegal miners due to its rich mineral deposits and difficult terrain.

Enchi Forest Division Manager, Joe Appiah Frimpong, confirmed the arrests and stated that the individuals had been handed over to the police at Enchi for further investigation and prosecution.

He emphasised that the arrests were part of a larger, ongoing effort to clamp down on unauthorised mining operations that continue to degrade Ghana’s forest reserves.

Illegal mining poses a significant threat to Ghana’s forests, water bodies, and farmlands, and the Boin Forest Reserve has been particularly vulnerable in recent years.

Mr. Frimpong issued a stern warning to individuals and groups involved in similar activities, stating that the Enchi Forest Division, in collaboration with security agencies, will not relent in its mandate to preserve the integrity of Ghana’s forest lands.