The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, has announced that all water bodies and forest reserves across Ghana will be designated as national security zones as part of the government’s intensified fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking on GTV’s Breakfast Show on Wednesday, September 24, Mr. Kofi-Buah said the move marks a decisive shift in the country’s anti-galamsey strategy and underscores President John Mahama’s resolve to safeguard Ghana’s environment.
“You know what that means? No-go area. We are now preparing to deploy permanent security forces in these areas,” the Minister stressed, adding that the newly established Blue Water Guards formed the first step in this direction.
He disclosed that more than 1,000 personnel have already been trained and deployed to regions including Western and Western North, with additional training underway. “They are making serious impact,” he said, while admitting that the scale of destruction inherited by the government cannot be reversed overnight.
“We are under no illusion that this is going to be solved in eight months. But we are proud of what we are doing. We are seeing progress, and every time we believe we have to strengthen what we are doing, we do,” he said.
President John Mahama has also cautioned that declaring a state of emergency in the galamsey fight remains a last resort, noting that existing laws already empower the government to arrest offenders, seize equipment, and protect natural resources.
Despite these assurances, pressure groups, political parties, and civil society continue to call for tougher measures. On Sunday, September 21, and Monday, September 22, the FixTheCountry Movement and Democracy Hub staged a two-day protest in Accra under the banner #StopGalamseyNow, demanding an end to the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.
Meanwhile, major rivers that provide drinking water and irrigation for millions of Ghanaians have become heavily polluted with toxic chemicals such as mercury, cyanide, and arsenic as a result of galamsey. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has raised alarm, warning that it is being forced to use unusually large quantities of treatment chemicals, driving up operational costs.
The Lands Minister maintained that classifying water bodies and forest reserves as security zones demonstrates the Mahama administration’s tougher stance. “This is a listening government, and we are going to do more. But those political apparatchiks who caused this damage should give us some room as we work to solve it,” he added.
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