Illegal mining activities have destroyed 8,923.8 hectares of Ghana’s forest reserves as of December 31, 2024, representing a sharp increase of 5,252.9 hectares since 2021, according to a recent survey by the Forestry Commission of Ghana.
The survey highlights the Ashanti Region as the most affected, with 4,948.9 hectares degraded, followed by the Western North Region at 2,195.7 hectares. The least affected areas were the Savanna Region (29.5 hectares) and the Central Region (44.7 hectares). Notable hotspots of forest destruction include the Oda River and Apamprama Forest Reserves in Ashanti, and the Upper Wassaw Forest Reserve in Western North.
Dr Ben Torgbor, Operations Manager at the Forest Services Division’s Plantations Department, explained that the survey combined ground assessments, drone mapping, and expert analysis, supplemented with satellite verification and historical Google Earth imagery, to track illegal mining over time.
In a bid to strengthen monitoring, the Forestry Commission plans to introduce an AI-powered system capable of automatically detecting and quantifying illegal mining activities in real time. Dr Torgbor said the technology would improve data accuracy, inform policy, and support advocacy for forest conservation.
The Forestry Commission also announced that an updated survey on forest reserve degradation for 2025 will be published in June 2026, providing a clearer picture of trends and enabling targeted interventions to protect Ghana’s forests.
