President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that the government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has successfully cleared illegal mining operations from eight out of nine protected forest reserves designated as “no-go zones” in Ghana.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Mining in Motion Summit held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s strong commitment to protecting Ghana’s environment and formalizing the small-scale mining sector.
“Through our efforts, eight of the nine forest reserves under threat from illegal mining have been cleared,” he announced.
The Mining in Motion Summit, organized by the Ashanti Green Initiative under the auspices of the Manhyia Palace with His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as Patron, brought together key stakeholders from the mining industry, government, and civil society.
President Mahama emphasized that small-scale and artisanal miners should not be seen as adversaries:
“Artisanal miners are not enemies of the state. If properly trained and supported, they can become allies in our development.”
In his keynote address, he outlined government-led reforms aimed at formalizing and regulating the small-scale mining sector. These include:
Cooperative mining schemes
Skills development programs
The Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project
These initiatives, the President noted, are designed to provide legal access to land, technical training, shared infrastructure, and modern equipment.
He also stressed the government’s commitment to eliminating the use of mercury in mining:
“We will eliminate mercury from mining processes and support environmentally safe alternatives.”
President Mahama concluded with a strong message on environmental restoration:
“We are working with the small-scale mining sector to reclaim our forest reserves and restore the purity of our water bodies. Our river guards are actively clearing illegal mining operations from our rivers and their banks.”
These efforts reflect a comprehensive national strategy to balance economic development with sustainable environmental stewardship.
