JoyNews' investigation has uncovered a vast illegal mining operation hidden deep within the Anwiaso East Forest Reserve, near Diaso in the Bibiani area of the Western North Region.

This raises serious concerns about the unchecked destruction of Ghana’s protected natural resources and the involvement of individuals purporting to be state security operatives.

The investigative team, led by environmental journalist Erastus Asare Donkor of the Multimedia Group, discovered more than 30 heavy-duty excavators actively destroying large swathes of forestland, turning the once-thriving ecosystem into a devastated landscape of pits and mud.

Residents who spoke to Luv News described the site as a "no-go area", saying they live in fear and can no longer access their farmlands.

Eyewitness accounts and observations from the scene indicate the site is heavily guarded by men in military uniforms and others identifying themselves as national security personnel.

Their presence, according to locals, has created an atmosphere of intimidation and impunity.