A joint task force made up of military personnel and officers from the Forestry Commission has destroyed a hidden village of over 10,000 residents, suspected of engaging in illegal mining—known locally as galamsey—in the Western Region.
The village, identified as Abrewa Ne Nkran Community, was discovered deep within the Subri River Forest Reserve. It is reportedly inhabited by both Ghanaians and foreign nationals from Nigeria, Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
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In a dawn operation carried out on Tuesday, 14 April 2025, the task force raided the settlement, expecting to find approximately 2,000 inhabitants. However, they were shocked to discover over 10,000 residents living in the village.
The operation also revealed that the settlement lacked basic social amenities, with video footage showing makeshift wooden structures and poor living conditions.
One of the military officers who spoke to the media disclosed alarming evidence of child prostitution:
We managed to rescue a few young foreign nationals, mostly Nigerians. One of them confided in us that her ‘madam’ brought her here and explained the kind of work she was expected to do. Clearly, such a minor has been trafficked and is being forced into prostitution right here in this village. This is the impact of illegal mining—these are the consequences it brings into communities.
The operation forms part of the government’s intensified efforts to clamp down on illegal mining in a bid to restore the country’s water bodies, forest reserves, and environment.