The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have intensified the fight against illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, with a series of coordinated anti-galamsey operations conducted across the Northern, Central, and Southern Commands.
According to the GAF, the surgical operations targeted major illegal mining hubs, specifically focusing on activities in forest reserves and river basins where environmental degradation has been most severe.
Operation Breakdown:
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Northern Command: Troops were deployed to the Bole area and the Black Volta Basin, where illegal mining activities have been linked to the pollution of water bodies and destruction of farmlands.
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Central Command: The military targeted the Nkawie and Mankranso Forest Reserves, where extensive illegal mining has posed a threat to biodiversity and forest conservation efforts.
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Southern Command: Operations in the Southern Command were concentrated in the Jerusalem area and the Subri Forest Reserve, both of which have witnessed a surge in illegal mining encampments in recent months.
During the operations, a number of excavators, water pumping machines, and other mining-related equipment were seized and immobilized.
The troops also dismantled and destroyed several makeshift shelters and structures used by illegal miners within the forest reserves.
These efforts form part of the government’s renewed campaign to restore Ghana’s forest reserves and protect vital water bodies from further pollution, deforestation, and ecological damage.
