About 8,900 hectares of Ghana’s forest reserves have been completely degraded through illegal mining (galamsey) and other destructive activities, according to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.

Mr Buah said nine forest reserves were among the worst affected by illegal mining, with some areas becoming increasingly difficult for Forestry Commission officials to access because of attacks, violence and the presence of weapons.

Speaking during a policy engagement with the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra on Thursday, August 13, the minister said the extent of the destruction was greater than previously estimated.

The IMANI delegation was led by its Founding President and Chief Executive Officer, Franklin Cudjoe, and included Vice-President for Strategy Selorm Branttie, writer and IMANI associate Kay Codjoe, and IMANI associate Ransford Brobbey.

He explained that earlier assessments had relied on older data and did not fully capture the scale of degradation that has occurred in some forest reserves.

Mr Buah warned that restoring the affected areas would require substantial resources, given the level of environmental damage caused by illegal mining.

The government has intensified operations in forest reserves, resulting in the seizure and immobilisation of hundreds of excavators, pumping machines, changfan machines and other equipment used in illegal mining.

The Minister said the scale of degradation underscores the need for stronger enforcement and measures to prevent further destruction of Ghana’s forest resources.