Armed illegal miners have reportedly taken over forest reserves
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticised the government for what they perceive as a lack of proactiveness and preparedness in addressing the illegal mining issues that are negatively impacting the country.
In a press briefing on what they called the ‘True State of the Nation Address’ on March 3, 2025, the Minority highlighted the takeover of forest reserves by armed illegal miners, expressing concerns over the government’s inability to effectively address the situation.
The NPP MPs questioned why security agencies, who are well-trained and equipped to confront armed illegal miners, have not been deployed to address the situation.
This came after claims by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, that security forces and the Forestry Commission no longer have access to 44 forest reserves due to their complete takeover by armed illegal miners.
“The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, speaking to Parliament on February 19, 2025, raised a very disturbing issue of insecurity leading to an alarming rate of illegal mining activities within the nation’s forest reserves. Nine (9) out of the forty-four (44) forest reserves have been completely taken by illegal mining thugs with impunity.
“Our security agents and the Forestry Commission no longer have access to these Forest Reserves. We wish to ask, since when did thugs involved in illegal mining become more powerful than our well-trained security agents? This is the true state of the fight against galamsey for which reason the president’s address was scanty on any real steps to tackle the canker,” the Minority addressed.
They maintained the view that despite the NDC’s strong campaign against illegal mining and numerous promises to address the issue, the party lacks effective strategies on how they intend to tackle the problem.
Additionally, they accused the NDC of engaging in propaganda regarding the issue of illegal mining, particularly when they made claims that certain personalities within the NPP were complicit in illegal mining, despite lacking any evidence to substantiate these allegations.
“After having made so much propaganda about it while in opposition, key NDC figures appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee could not substantiate any of the propaganda allegations of the NPP being complicit in the galamsey phenomenon,” the MPs added.
MAG/AE
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