The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has committed GH¢35 million to reclaiming land ravaged by illegal mining (galamsey) in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve, with military engineers undertaking work to make the degraded area suitable for ecological restoration.

The project covers 60 hectares in Compartment 161 of the reserve, where mining activities have left deep pits, destabilised the ground and damaged vegetation.

The engineering works are intended to prepare the site for reforestation under the supervision of the Forestry Commission.

About 192.4 hectares of woodland were destroyed between 2021 and 2024, according to the project information provided by GoldBod.

Military engineers tackle damaged terrain

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Engineer Regiment is responsible for the heavy earthmoving and civil engineering works under the partnership.

The team is operating under the command of Major Shem Adolinama.

The work involves filling abandoned mining pits, stabilising the soil and reshaping the terrain to make it suitable for vegetation to grow. Engineers are also constructing drainage channels to regulate water movement and minimise the risk of sediment entering the Tano River.

Sustainability Manager at GoldBod, Samuel Danso, said the extensive excavations and unstable ground left by illegal mining made natural recovery difficult without significant engineering intervention.

The reclamation works are intended to address the physical hazards created by mining and improve the condition of the land before the next phase of restoration begins.

Forestry Commission to lead reforestation

With the major engineering works nearing completion, the site is undergoing final grading and preparation for handover.

GoldBod and the military engineering team are expected to transfer the reclaimed area to the Forestry Commission in the coming weeks.

The Commission will then lead the reforestation phase, including tree planting and the nurturing of indigenous vegetation.

The handover will mark the transition from engineering rehabilitation to efforts to re-establish vegetation across the affected land.

The longer-term recovery of the site will depend on the establishment of vegetation and the protection of the reclaimed area against renewed illegal mining.

Reclaiming the terrain is an important step, but it does not, by itself, restore the ecological functions of a damaged forest.

Joint response to galamsey damage

The partnership combines GoldBod's environmental restoration initiative with the engineering capacity of the Ghana Armed Forces to address damage caused by illegal mining in the protected reserve.

GoldBod says the initiative reflects its commitment to environmental responsibility and coordinated national action to reverse the effects of galamsey.

The Board says it is focused on preparing the reclaimed land for sustainable restoration and ensuring that the transition to reforestation supports the long-term recovery of the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve.