The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has inspected the successful reclamation of 320 hectares of degraded land at Manso Nyankomanse in the Ashanti Region, reaffirming the government’s commitment to restoring lands destroyed by illegal mining.

The inspection took place on Wednesday, 4 February 2026, at two reclaimed sites — Site One at Nyankomanse (240 hectares) and Site Two at Asare (80 hectares) — which were rehabilitated under the government’s national reclamation agenda and the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative.

Addressing the media, the Minister described land reclamation as a top government priority and expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far.

“I am delighted to be here today at Manso Nyankomanse in the Ashanti Region to inspect the reclamation of degraded mined-out sites undertaken as part of Government’s national reclamation agenda and the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative,” he said.

“I am pleased to note that a total of 320 hectares have been reclaimed across Site One (Nyankomanse – 240 ha) and Site Two (Asare – 80 ha) under this initiative,” he added.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah stressed that the restored lands would yield long-term environmental and socio-economic benefits.

“These reclaimed lands will help restore ecological balance, improve land productivity, and contribute to the long-term socio-economic development of the affected communities,” he said.

He commended Newmont Ghana Limited for supporting the reclamation exercise and urged other corporate entities to partner with government in restoring degraded environments.

“I commend Newmont Ghana Limited for supporting Government beyond its statutory obligations and for contributing meaningfully to national environmental restoration efforts,” the Minister stated.

He also praised RM ECORESTORE GH LTD, the contractor responsible for the reclamation works.

“We are also very grateful to the contractor who undertook this reclamation work — RM ECORESTORE GH LTD — for the good job done. We expect that the trees will be planted during the rainy season to complete the land restoration effort,” he said.

The Minister underscored the need for collective action in addressing the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.

“Together, through collaboration and shared responsibility, we can reclaim our lands, restore our water bodies, and secure a sustainable future for generations to come,” he emphasised.

The Lands Minister was accompanied by his Special Adviser, Prof. J. S. Y. Kumah; Director of Forestry at the Ministry, Joseph Osiakwan; Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh; Director of Operations at NAIMOS, Colonel Dominic Buah; his Spokesperson, Mahmoud Kabore; and the Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, also commended Mr Armah-Kofi Buah for what he described as strong political will in tackling illegal mining.

Although acknowledging the challenges involved, Dr Amoakohene pledged the region’s full support for the anti-galamsey campaign, stressing that while government is not against mining, it will not tolerate activities that destroy the environment.

The District Chief Executive and the traditional authorities of the area also expressed appreciation to government and pledged their commitment to protecting the environment from destructive mining practices.

Land reclamation forms part of government’s five-pronged strategy to combat illegal mining. Authorities estimate that about 5,500 hectares of land — equivalent to roughly 7,500 football fields — have so far been degraded by galamsey, a situation government says will be reversed through aggressive reclamation efforts in partnership with the private sector.