Illegal miners have seized control of more than nine forest reserves in Ghana, leaving authorities unable to access these protected areas, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has revealed.

Addressing Parliament, the minister described the situation as a national crisis, warning that illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, is causing widespread environmental destruction.

"Over nine out of the 44 forest reserves under attack have been completely taken over by these illegal mining gangs with impunity. The Forestry Commission no longer has access to these reserves," he stated.

The minister further disclosed that an estimated 5,000 hectares of land—roughly the size of 7,000 football fields—have been devastated by illegal mining activities.

According to him, the government is intensifying efforts to tackle the crisis, including the launch of the Blue Water Initiative, which will deploy river guards to protect water bodies from pollution caused by galamsey operations.

"In the short term, we want to clear all water bodies from illegal mining activities through the use of river guards under our Blue Water Initiative. Details of this initiative will be provided during its launch in the coming weeks," he announced.

Despite past interventions, including military operations and legal actions, galamsey remains a major challenge. The minister lamented the weak enforcement of mining laws, citing low prosecution rates, with fewer than 40 convictions out of over 800 cases recorded in recent years.

With mounting pressure from environmental activists and the public, authorities are being urged to take stronger action to reclaim Ghana’s forest reserves and water bodies before the damage becomes irreversible.