The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have commenced a series of targeted anti-galamsey operations across all three Commands in a renewed effort to clamp down on illegal mining activities in protected areas. 

These “surgical” operations, aimed at minimising collateral damage while dealing effectively with the menace, form part of a broader national strategy to preserve the environment and water bodies. 

The operations were carefully coordinated to tackle galamsey operations simultaneously across the Northern, Central, and Southern Commands.

In the Northern Command, the military focused its operations in Bole and along the Black Volta Basin, areas which have seen a surge in illegal mining activities in recent months. 

The troops were tasked with dismantling mining camps and seizing equipment used by the illegal operators. 

These interventions are expected to curb the continued pollution of vital water bodies and protect farmlands that have been adversely affected by the destructive mining practices.

The Central Command’s operation was concentrated within the Nkawie and Mankranso Forest Reserves, where several galamsey sites were uncovered. 

Troops moved in swiftly to destroy makeshift shelters used by the miners and seize excavators and other mining machinery found at the scene. 

These forest reserves, known for their ecological importance, have been under threat from illegal mining, and the GAF’s actions were welcomed by local authorities and environmental groups.

Meanwhile, the Southern Command carried out similar operations in the Jerusalem enclave and the Subri Forest Reserve. 

The operations led to the seizure of multiple excavators and related equipment, as well as the demolition of illegal structures erected by miners within the reserves. 

The GAF reiterated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of Ghana’s forest reserves and water bodies, and urged the public to support the ongoing fight against illegal mining.