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A joint taskforce comprising the Forestry Commission and the military has arrested four individuals and seized ten pieces of mining equipment in a raid on the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in the Enchi Forest District of the Western North Region.
The seized items, including nine excavators and one bulldozer, were captured during the operation on Sunday, 9 March 2025.
This action forms part of the government’s renewed crackdown on illegal mining, locally known as ‘galamsey.’
Earlier, on Tuesday, 4 March 2025, operational staff from the Enchi Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD), along with the Rapid Response Team, acted on a tip-off and stormed the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, successfully removing twelve excavators engaged in illegal mining.
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However, the team was unable to make any arrests, as they were outnumbered and the miners were armed.
Following an intelligence report on Thursday, 6 March 2025, indicating that illegal miners were planning to return to the reserve, the team re-entered the forest and prevented re-entry.
On Saturday, 8 March 2025, another tip-off revealed that the illegal miners had returned. The team attempted to effect arrests but was once again outnumbered, as the miners were heavily armed and refused to vacate the reserve.
Subsequently, a joint team was deployed to the area, leading to the arrests and the seizure of the excavators. The confiscated equipment is being transported to the Enchi District Assembly premises, and a formal complaint has been lodged with the Enchi District Police Command.
In Ghana, galamsey refers to unregulated small-scale gold mining conducted without official permits or oversight. The term originates from the phrase “gather them and sell,” highlighting the informal and often illegal nature of these operations.
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Galamsey has caused extensive environmental damage, with approximately 60% of Ghana’s rivers—including the Oda, Offin, Pra, and Densu—severely polluted by mercury and cyanide. Deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination from these activities pose significant long-term risks to ecosystems and public health.