Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah on Wednesday said there will be no more guns in the forest, as he announced a major shift in the fight against illegal mining, one that replaces confrontation with cooperation.

Speaking at the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) in Obuasi, the Minister rejected violence as a tool in the galamsey war.

“We are under no illusion that we will solve the issues of illegal mining with guns and violence in place of sensitisation and stakeholder collaboration,” he said.

Armah Kofi Buah said the new programme represents a turning point, offering a sustainable path forward for mining communities and the environment.

“Today marks a defining moment in Ghana’s journey towards sustainable development,” he declared.

“We stand at the crossroads of transformation—where mining ceases to be a curse on our land and becomes a catalyst for prosperity.”

The Minister acknowledged the pain of past tensions, where unsafe and unregulated practices cost lives and livelihoods.

“The limited access to economic opportunities has, in the past, created tensions—even resulting in the unfortunate loss of lives,” he said.

To correct these failures, the Minister revealed that one of his first acts in office was to dismantle the Community Mining Scheme.

“Our findings revealed that the Scheme was not truly community-centred as intended and thus failed to achieve its objectives,” he said.

In its place, rCOMSDEP will create a “more comprehensive, structured, and regulated framework, one that is genuinely community-led and community-based.”

He described the new approach as rooted in responsibility, skills, and restoration.

“From geological surveys to safety training, we will elevate artisanal mining from a risky venture into a professionally regulated industry,” he noted.

“No more poverty-driven destruction — only responsible, profitable, and sustainable mining.”

The programme will also transform mining communities into centres of opportunity.

“We will not just train miners, we will create innovators, agriculturists, tech entrepreneurs, and industry leaders,” he announced, adding that partnerships with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture will “roll out the Agricultural Growth in Mining Areas Project.”

On land recovery, the Minister pledged that “every acre degraded by mining will be reclaimed,” turning abandoned pits into productive farms and forests.

“Mining revenues will no longer vanish into private pockets — they will build schools, hospitals, and clean water systems to improve the quality of life in mining communities.”

He also called on major mining companies to support the reform effort.

“We expect every large-scale mining company to have a Cooperative Mining program in their operating area to extend the best practices to them.”

In the coming weeks, the government will begin rolling out the cooperative schemes across the country, with each group undergoing training and licensing under the supervision of the University of Mines in Tarkwa.

“This is not just a policy — it is a practical, community-driven programme,” the Minister emphasised. “We must collectively work to turn our waters blue and our forests green through responsible and sustainable mining.”

With this launch, the government says the era of chaos and conflict in Ghana’s mining communities is over. “We must succeed! We have no option; it is our obligation to future generations.”