Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has revealed that the Forestry Commission has repossessed all 9 red zone forest reserves previously occupied by armed guards.

Mr Buah made this known while engaging the media today, July 23, as part of the Government’s Accountability Series. In February this year, the sector minister raised concerns about the increasing devastation of Ghana’s forest reserves due to illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.

According to him, nearly 10 out of the 44 forest reserves have been completely taken over by illegal miners, rendering them inaccessible to the Forestry Commission.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, the minister stated over nine out of the 44 forest reserves have been completely taken over by these illegal mining thugs with impunity, adding that “the Forestry Commission no longer has access to these forest reserves."

He further revealed that an estimated 5,000 hectares of forest land have already been destroyed—an area equivalent to approximately 7,000 football fields.

In his recent update, the Lands Minister noted that Ghana is not out of the woods yet despite repossessing these forest reserves.

“What it means is that the forestry guards are able to enter in and out and when they need reinforcement, they are supported,” he said.

The sector minister noted that 279 trucks conveying illegal lumber were intercepted and fined, and the illegal wood was confiscated and auctioned. He also revealed that 1,200 excavators have been impounded pending validations before clearance at the port.

The minister noted that in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Finance under the GRA Customs Division and the Ports and Harbour Authority, they have initiated a proactive tracking of all imports of excavators and urged moving equipment from the point of entry.

He further revealed that the government is developing a centralized digital platform named the Ghana Mine Repository Tracking Software that has been deployed at the Minerals Commission and is at the advanced stage to support this initiative

“The platform will serve as the single point of integration for all agencies including Customs, DVLA, Ministry of Transport, Minerals Commission, National Security,” the minister said.

It will also provide authorized institutions with real-time permit history, equipment location, and operational compliance. A pilot project of over 191 excavators is currently being tracked in a dedicated control room of the Minerals Commission.

“I believe we are going to that point where every excavator in this country is actually regulated,” he said

The government is undertaking all these initiatives in accordance with L.I. 2404, which prescribes the mandatory registration of all earthmoving and mining equipment that is to be used in mining operations

Govt’s efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities

The government has rolled out an official order requiring all machinery used in mining operations to be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) by 1st August. A statement issued by the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday, July 15, states that the state will go ahead to confiscate unregistered mining equipment after the deadline.

"The Government, as part of efforts to reform the mining sector in the country, requires that all machinery used in mining activities must be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) by 1st August 2025. Equipment that remains unregistered after this deadline will be confiscated by the State," the Ministry stated on its website.

Mr Mubarak has empowered the Ghana Police Service and DVLA to begin strict enforcement of the new rule from August 2. "The Ghana Police Service and DVLA have been directed to enforce this directive from 2nd August 2025 onward rigorously. The general public, especially those who use mining machinery, are advised to take note and comply with the directive," he wrote.

The Ministry reiterates its resolve to maintain national peace through effective internal security and law enforcement. Meanwhile, a similar directive came in months ago where excavator owners and operators were asked to register their machines with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) within two weeks or risk losing them to the state, as the government intensifies efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the DVLA, Julius Neequaye Kotey, issued the directive in Accra, warning that effective June 1, any excavator not registered with the DVLA will be confiscated. Speaking at a press briefing, Mr. Kotey announced that the Ghana Police Service and the DVLA’s operational team commenced a nationwide enforcement after the deadline, arresting and impounding excavators being used at mining sites or for commercial purposes without proper documentation.

“This exercise will help identify every excavator that enters the country and trace how it is being used. The goal is to ensure we can monitor and hold people accountable,” Mr. Kotey said.

The directive fell in line with Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), which mandates the registration of all motor vehicles and trailers, including farm and heavy-duty equipment. Despite the law, the DVLA found many unregistered excavators operating in mining areas, some of which have been used in illegal activities.

Mr. Kotey emphasized that the DVLA, with its 34 offices nationwide, could register all excavators and farm machinery within two weeks and was ready to strictly enforce the directive. “Excavators in the hands of illegal miners have worsened the destruction of our environment. This is why we must act,” Mr Kotey said.

To further control the situation, the DVLA, in collaboration with key agencies like the Minerals Commission, National Security, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), commenced tagging all newly imported excavators.

In addition to tagging new imports, the Minerals Commission was tasked to lead a team that would tag all excavators already in the country. Legal small-scale mining sites have also been geo-fenced, with their site coordinates integrated into the Ghana Mine Repository and Tracking software for better oversight.

The move is part of broader government efforts to combat illegal mining. Three months ago, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah announced the rollout of a system to monitor excavator imports and usage, involving port tagging and digital tracking in partnership with several state agencies. According to the sector minister. The third most valuable item imported into this country is excavators, and it is worth GHC6.2 billion.

Crack down on illegal mining activities

In April, a total of 47 individuals were arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities along the Tano River and within the Aboi, Subri, and Nimiri forests in the Western Region. This followed a special four-day intelligence-led operation that commenced on April 17, within the Samreboi enclave.

According to the Ghana Police Service, the suspects include 39 Ghanaians and 8 Chinese nationals. The Police indicated that a significant amount of equipment and materials believed to have been used for the mining operations were retrieved. These include seventeen excavators, one bulldozer, four motorbikes, two Toyota Hilux vehicles, one Rav4 vehicle, four pump action guns, one single barrel gun, fifty-four live BB cartridges, and eight pumping machines.

Prosecution begun for the arrested suspects. On Tuesday, 41 of them were arraigned, with 29 remanded into Police custody to reappear before the court on April 30, 2025. Twelve others were also remanded to return to court on May 2, 2025. The remaining seven were put before the court on April 23, 2025.

Two coordinated operations conducted on Friday, June 20, at Nikanika and Adeade in the Central Region led to the arrest of 3 suspects and the seizure of several pieces of mining equipment. The operations were executed by the Ghana Police Service, through its Special Anti-Galamsey Task Force.

The task force proceeded to a mining site at Nikanika. Although no operators were found at the scene, the team retrieved one single-barrel shotgun loaded with a cartridge and three water-pumping machines. The task force extended its operation to Adeade, where three suspects—Prosper Quansah, Chrispin Nartey, and Owusu Gambra—were arrested with an excavator on a lowbed trailer.

One SANY excavator, four unregistered Haojin motorbikes, and one lowbed vehicle with registration number GN 2136-24 were seized from the scene. All exhibits were secured in police custody.

Some 12 accused persons standing trial for engaging in illegal mining activities at Tumetu near Princess Town in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region have been remanded into prison custody. While 10 of the accused persons were arrested at a palm plantation, two were arrested at the Elluabo Chavene Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL) plantation.

This was due to a coordinated police intelligence-led operation within the Ahanta West Municipality. The accused persons are Lord Yankey, Caleb Adu Kwaw, Stephen Agyei, Ebenezer Barnes, Mathew Somagevi, Paa Grant, Bashiru Kaviru, Joseph Borney, Aminu Issah, Kofi Sogah, Albert Normah, Robert Mensah. Four water pumping machines, one tricycle with registration number M-20-WR 1045, and two motorbikes were retrieved from the sites, according to the police.

All twelve accused persons admitted to the offence during police interrogations. They were subsequently put before the Takoradi Harbour Area Circuit Court ‘A’, and were remanded into prison custody at Sekondi and reappeared before the court on Tuesday, July 8.

Also, fifteen individuals are in police custody for engaging in illegal mining activities at Manso Adubia. They were arrested following a special intelligence-led operation at Watreso and Preacher Krom.

The suspects include Tahiru Ibrahim (24), Shaibu Idrissu, (23), Boateng Emmanuel (27), Jamon Kwaku Samuel (21), Yaro Patrick (29), Kofi Boakye (21), Gubong Mathew (45), Fatawu Zackari Seidu (26), Abdul Malik Seidu (22). The others are Dauda Tahiru (23), Sampson Grace (21), Boolangkpuo Freda (24), Arima Hagar (26), Kwarteng Vasco (30), Kwame Adutwum (24).

Two excavator control boards, two automatic pump-action guns, two Musler 12 firearms, 59 BB cartridges, three AA cartridges, one water pumping machine, two power generators, one vulcanizing machine, and one Apsonic motorbike were seized from the site.