The Forestry Commission has apprehended 218 individuals involved in illegal mining within forest reserves across the country from the beginning of the year up to now.

Among them, 24 have faced prosecution and imprisonment, while the remaining individuals are awaiting various trials, as stated by the head of Corporate Affairs and Media Relations, Joyce Ofori Kwafo.

“For the period January 2023 to December 2023 as we speak of today. We have been able to arrest 218 persons and out of the 218 persons, 24 have been prosecuted and jailed- and handed various sentences. The rest are pending in the various courts across the country in the various regions,” she said.

Joyce Ofori Kwafo revealed this information in an interview on JoyFM’s Midday News on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

Madam Kwafo clarified that this operation is part of the Forestry Commission's initiatives to crack down on individuals engaged in illegal mining within forest reserves. She noted that the commission is actively working to ensure that all forests are cleared of mining activities.

While the Head of Corporate Affairs mentioned that the commission is addressing mining activities in various regions, there is a significant focus on the Ashanti, Western, North, Eastern, and Central Regions.

“We are looking at all our forest reserves across the regions. We are not looking at one particular area because all our forest reserves are at stake as we speak now. But then the concentration is in the Ashanti, Western, North, Eastern, and Central Regions. This is where the thing is endemic, but we are concentrating on all others,” he said.

Meanwhile, she mentioned that the commission is conducting awareness programs nationwide to educate the public about the negative impacts of mining activities on society. Madam Kwafo assured the general public of the commission's readiness to combat the issue at its core.

“It will last as long as the Forestry Commission lasts. It will last as long as the world lasts because we are not going to rest on our oars. We will continue and make sure we flash out all illegal operators from our forest reserves and build the integrity of our forest," she assured.