Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, has reiterated the urgent need to reclaim Ghana’s lands and forest reserves from illegal miners.

In an interview on JoyNews' The Probe on Sunday, March 16, he called for a state of emergency to combat the crisis effectively.

He noted that politically exposed individuals involved in illegal mining must be dealt with decisively.

Although he acknowledged ongoing collaborations between the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Minister for Environment to repeal certain laws, he insisted that stronger measures are needed.

“Beyond all of that, we need to reclaim our lands. We need to reclaim our forests. A state of emergency, which I don’t think the minister fully agrees with, must be endorsed,” he stated.

Dr. Ashigbey highlighted the increasing brazenness of illegal miners, referencing incidents where journalists were assaulted and their equipment destroyed while police officers stood by.

“These are not people we can deal with using kid gloves. This is a war that has been waged on us. We need to unleash the full force of our military. The Air Force should be flying sorties over illegal mining areas, the Navy should be securing our water bodies, and the army should be on the ground.”

He warned that if illegal miners are allowed to take control of Ghana’s forest reserves, they could soon expand their influence over entire districts, posing a severe national security threat.

“This is beyond an environmental issue—it’s a security matter. If we do not act now, these criminals will take over more territories and control whatever resources they find,” he cautioned.