The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have launched a sweeping offensive against illegal mining operations, intensifying efforts to clamp down on environmental destruction across the country’s forest reserves and water bodies.
Dubbed a “surgical strike” on galamsey, the coordinated operations were carried out simultaneously by the GAF’s Northern, Central, and Southern Commands, targeting known illegal mining hotspots in forest and riverine areas.
In the Northern Command, soldiers stormed the Bole area and the Black Volta Basin, zones notorious for polluted water sources and farmland degradation due to rampant galamsey activities.
The Central Command zeroed in on the heavily exploited Nkawie and Mankranso Forest Reserves, aiming to halt the ecological loss that has threatened both biodiversity and conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, in the Southern Command, troops hit the Jerusalem area and Subri Forest Reserve, where illegal mining camps had mushroomed in recent months, posing a serious risk to both the environment and local communities.
As part of the crackdown, the military seized and disabled several excavators, water pumps, and equipment used in illegal mining. Makeshift camps and shelters deep within the forests were also dismantled and destroyed.
The GAF emphasized that the mission is part of a broader national effort to reclaim degraded lands, restore forest cover, and protect Ghana’s crucial water bodies from irreversible damage.
This renewed push underscores the government’s commitment to stamping out illegal mining, as environmentalists and affected communities continue to raise alarms over deforestation, polluted rivers, and the long-term cost of unchecked galamsey operations.
