Journalist Erastus Asare Donkor has exposed the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, over claims that the government has successfully reclaimed seven out of the nine forest reserves that were previously overrun by illegal miners.
During a press briefing in Accra on March 19, Mr. Buah explained that a joint security task force, consisting of the military, police, and the Forestry Commission’s rapid response team, conducted sustained operations over the past month to reclaim the affected reserves.
The Challenge
However, Erastus, known for his investigative work on illegal mining (galamsey) in Ghana, disputed the minister’s assertion.
In a Facebook post, he challenged Mr. Buah to provide the names of the forests that have been reclaimed. He proceeded to list several forests where illegal mining activities are still taking place.
Current Situation
According to Erastus, “As of my ground checks this morning, these reserves are still experiencing active illegal mining: Asenanyo Forest Reserve, Offin Shelter Belt, Jimira Forest Reserve in Nkawie District, Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, Boin Tano Forest Reserve—which is particularly active with a known galamsey operator and his Chinese miners—Tano Nimri, and Subri Forest Reserve.”
He also noted, “The operations in these reserves have been unsuccessful due to the composition of the military team and the leadership of the scouts who accompany them.”
