The government is ramping up efforts to restore landscapes destroyed by illegal mining, announcing plans to reclaim more than 2,400 acres of degraded land this year following the successful rehabilitation of 1,335 acres in 2025.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, disclosed that the latest phase of the reclamation programme will combine government initiatives with private sector support to accelerate the restoration of areas devastated by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 15, the Minister said the scale of environmental destruction demands sustained collaboration between government and private investors.
He revealed that the 1,335 acres reclaimed last year were located in the Ashanti Region under a public-private partnership designed to transform degraded mining sites into ecological zones.
Building on that progress, Mr. Buah said private sector partners have pledged additional support to reclaim another 1,500 acres this year, while government will independently rehabilitate 960 acres in selected locations.
According to him, the combined interventions are expected to significantly increase the pace of environmental restoration and reverse years of destruction caused by illegal mining.
“The Ministry, working with the private sector, has embarked on an aggressive strategy to reclaim degraded mining areas and transform them into ecological zones,” he said.
Mr. Buah stressed that restoring degraded lands remains a key component of government’s broader strategy to combat the environmental impact of galamsey, protect natural resources and promote sustainable land use.
He expressed optimism that the expanded reclamation programme would help restore ecosystems, improve biodiversity and return degraded lands to productive use while complementing ongoing efforts to tackle illegal mining across the country.
