Forestry Commission Officers at the Nkawie forest district, have bemoaned the level of impunity and bravado used by illegal miners to destroy the forest reserve.
Although illegal mining has been a bane on sustainable forest management within the district, little can be done about the activities of these illegal miners and they have put the fear of God in locals and forestry officials.
The modus operandi of these illegal miners have left forestry officers powerless. Speaking to media men who visited the forest, forestry officers disclosed, “The modus operandi of the peepetrators this time is scary, in fact life threatening.
They 1st come and secure the area at night and secure with heavily built land guards, and by the time you (forestry officers) want to enter the forest reserve, they (land guards protecting galamseyers) have already secured the entrances to the reserve and so you cannot enter.”
This is the level of destruction and impunity with which the illegal miners operate. With the fight above the capacity of forestry officers, they called on support from the security agencies in combating this menace.
“What they are doing have now has moved from the forestry point of view to a security issue. You come to the forest and you see heavily built guys with offensive weapons. This is not a forestry matter, it is a security matter,” he added.
For the first time in Ghana’s history, Civil Society Organization’s (CSOs), Associations, Professional Bodies, Faith Based Institutions have come together in an uproar calling for a ban on mining activities in the country because of the destructive wake it leaves in its path.
Illegal miners have invaded the Asenanyo forest reserve this week in a fresh attack on the country’s lands.
The latest action comes as pressure is being piled on government to take action in dealing with illegal mining.#3newsGH pic.twitter.com/BBbTuZkyCZ
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 13, 2024
