Galamsey:“Our forests Are Under Siege” — Ghana Institute Of Foresters

The Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) has called on the government to immediately develop a new and stricter legal framework to regulate mining activities in forest reserves, following the revocation of L.I. 2462 and its amendment, L.I. 2501.

In a communiqué issued at the close of its 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on Saturday, November 22, 2025, the Institute said the new legislation must allow only restricted deep-cast mining within designated production forests while granting absolute protection to ecologically sensitive areas.

The AGM, chaired by Professor Kyereh Boateng of KNUST’s Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, brought together about 150 members under the theme: “Foresters at the Forefront of Change: Tackling Mining Challenges and Advancing Forest Restoration.”

GIF welcomed the government’s decision to lay before Parliament a new Legislative Instrument that revokes L.I. 2462, widely criticised for enabling mining in forest reserves, and L.I. 2501. However, the Institute stressed that replacing the revoked laws with a more stringent and unambiguous framework was vital to safeguarding Ghana’s forests.

The communiqué urged that the new law:
• Explicitly ban all surface and alluvial mining in forest reserves
• Permit only deep-cast mining, which can be more effectively monitored
• Restrict mining strictly to production forests
• Exclude all watershed forests and areas with rare or unique biodiversity

The Institute cited years of destruction caused by poorly regulated and illegal mining operations, warning that without decisive action, Ghana’s remaining forests risk irreversible damage.

Data presented at the AGM painted a worrying picture. Between 2015 and 2024, closed forests shrank significantly, while open forests expanded—evidence of accelerated degradation rather than direct deforestation.

Fifty protected areas, including 49 forest reserves and the Bui National Park, have already been impacted by mining. As of early 2025, armed miners occupied nine forest reserves, with five still under their control in October.

The hardest-hit reserves include:
• Apamprama
• Oda River
• Offin Shelterbelt
• Tano Anwia
• Tano Nimri

The communiqué also revealed that several foresters had been killed or critically injured while attempting to stop illegal miners.

While commending the government for revoking more than 300 small-scale mining licences and pursuing legislative reforms, GIF argued that some policy decisions were undermining progress.

The Institute strongly criticised the February directive prohibiting the burning of excavators in forest reserves, describing it as ineffective and counterproductive. It alleged that seized equipment often found its way back into illegal mining operations.

GIF is therefore calling for the restoration of on-site destruction of excavators and other heavy machinery used in illegal mining within protected forests, insisting that existing laws already permit such action and that it remains the strongest deterrent.

The group further cited corruption, foreign interference, political manipulation, greed, and weak enforcement as major drivers of illegal mining.

Condemnation of Attacks and Support for Security Measures

GIF condemned the recent attack on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwidiem, which led to the escape of arrested miners and the release of seized vehicles. The Institute praised the security agencies for their swift response and reiterated its support for transforming the Forestry Commission into a paramilitary institution capable of confronting armed mining groups.

The AGM also called for expanded nationwide forest restoration projects and intensified public education campaigns on the dangers of illegal mining. The Institute urged the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to prioritise anti-galamsey sensitisation as a national responsibility.