The Executive Director of the Centre for Extractives and Development Africa, Samuel Osei Bekoe, has highlighted that declaring a state of emergency in Ghana’s forest reserves could significantly help in curbing the destruction of forest reserves.

In an interview on Joy News' AM Show, Mr Bekoe explained how such a measure could address the severe environmental damage caused by illegal mining activities in the country.

While acknowledging that some small-scale miners, both legal and illegal, operate responsibly and without harming the environment, he stressed that illegal mining is still wreaking havoc. “Some small-scale mining, including both legal and illegal, are doing a good job without disturbing any river or forest,”.

However, he pointed out that the widespread destruction of water bodies and forests by illegal miners continues to be a significant concern.

He proposed that the declaration of a state of emergency would allow the government to work more closely with miners to foster greater accountability within the industry. “The government, after declaring a state of emergency, could work with the miners to say that if you don’t report those who are destroying the river bodies, I will ban galamsey,” he said.

According to Mr Bekoe, this approach would not negatively affect miners’ livelihoods, as the same equipment used for land clearing could be repurposed for environmental rehabilitation, such as creating re-circulation ponds to mitigate the damage.

Mr Bekoe further explained that the state of emergency could promote self-regulation among miners. “A state of emergency for them, within small-scale mining, will ensure that they become checks on each other,” he said, suggesting that it would encourage miners to take responsibility for ensuring their peers adhere to sustainable practices.

Reflecting on previous attempts to address illegal mining, he noted that military interventions had proven to be ineffective.

“We have tried the approach of military intervention, and still, that was even the year small-scale mining went on,” he remarked, pointing out that despite the forceful measures, illegal mining persisted.

He argued that military interventions fail to address the root causes of the problem and are not a long-term solution.

Instead, he believes that a more collaborative, regulatory approach is needed to ensure sustainable change.

Mr Bekoe reiterated that declaring a state of emergency in Ghana’s forest reserves could create a more effective framework for reducing the harmful impact of illegal mining.

He emphasised that for this approach to be successful, it must be accompanied by a comprehensive and well-executed plan, with both the government and miners working together to protect the environment and preserve livelihoods.