Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has warned that Ghana risks losing its forest reserves, including the Atewa Forest, if illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, is not urgently brought under control.

He said the continued destruction of forests and water bodies in the pursuit of gold poses a serious threat to the country’s natural resources and water security.

Mr Afenyo-Markin raised the concern when the Minority Caucus met with the Christian Council of Ghana on Tuesday, October 5, to discuss a number of national issues of concern to the caucus.

He said concerns raised by organised labour and religious bodies about the scale of illegal mining should not be taken lightly.

“And on this score, we rely heavily on organised labour. Last year, Organised Labour on May Day through its Secretary General announced that galamsey activity has gotten out of hand. We know organised labour is a non-political institution. It does its own research,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin said the warning from Organised Labour, together with concerns raised by religious organisations, should prompt urgent action to address the menace.

“And for the Secretary General of Organised Labour to boldly, publicly state this, nobody should take it for granted. Other religious bodies have also come out with their report about galamsey activities,” he stated.

He also raised concerns about the structure of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), arguing that its current framework does not sufficiently distinguish between legally mined gold and gold produced through illegal mining.

“We are saying that the way GoldBod has been structured, it is rather encouraging the illegal mining activities within our country,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin questioned whether adequate regulations were in place to guide gold aggregators and prevent illegally mined gold from entering the formal purchasing system.

“Currently, GoldBod does not have a regulation that draws a distinction between regularly mined gold and galamsey gold. So, it is like whatever the aggregators bring, we will buy. But are there some regulations to guide aggregators? So, now it is yen ko nko a, everybody is mining,” he said.

His comments come amid continued concerns over illegal mining in Ghana’s forest reserves. In September 2026, the Forestry Commission arrested 12 people suspected of engaging in illegal mining in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.

The Minority Leader also warned that the impact of illegal mining on the country’s water resources could become increasingly difficult and expensive to reverse.

“Galamsey has gotten out of hand. So, it is something that if care is not taken, our water and our land will lose them,” he said.

Drawing on his experience as a former chairman of the Ghana Water Company Limited board, Mr Afenyo-Markin said reports on the condition of the country’s water bodies should be a major concern.

“Ghana Water, I once chaired that board. The report coming from Ghana Water is that not only is it becoming more expensive to treat the water, but the extent of contamination of our water bodies is such that some treatment plants cannot even function,” he stated.

He subsequently issued a specific warning over the future of the Atewa Forest, saying, “If we are not careful, Atewa Forest will not be there for us again,” he cautioned.

The Atewa Range Forest Reserve has come under renewed pressure from illegal mining, with recent enforcement operations resulting in arrests and the seizure of equipment. The reserve is also a major watershed and biodiversity hotspot, making concerns over illegal mining particularly significant.

The Minority’s meeting with the Christian Council forms part of its engagement with key stakeholders on issues it considers critical to national development, including illegal mining and the protection of Ghana’s natural resources.