All Forest Reserves and Water Bodies to Be Declared Security Zones – Lands Minister

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has announced that all forest reserves and water bodies in Ghana will soon be designated as security zones as part of government’s intensified fight against illegal mining (galamsey).

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based GTV on Tuesday, September 24, Mr. Kofi Buah explained that the measure follows ongoing policy reforms and stakeholder engagements aimed at strengthening enforcement in the natural resources sector.

“…Why did we establish the Blue Water Guard? And now, in the last week or so, the President has made it clear that we are going a step further to declare all the water bodies and forest reserves as security zones. We are preparing to deploy permanent security forces to these areas,” he disclosed.

The Minister stressed that the scale of environmental destruction caused by galamsey cannot be reversed overnight, but insisted the government remains committed to restoring degraded lands and safeguarding natural resources.

“With the level of destruction that this government came to meet, we are under no illusion that it is going to be solved in eight months. But we are proud of what we are doing. This is a listening government, and we are going to do more,” he assured.

His comments come amid renewed public outrage over the devastating impacts of illegal mining. Recent findings by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), in partnership with UK-backed NGO Africa Pure Earth, revealed mercury contamination levels in some water bodies to be as much as 500 times higher than acceptable limits.

The joint report further noted that several food crops cultivated in mining areas, including tomatoes and taro leaves (commonly known as Nkontomire), contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. The study covered six regions: Western, Eastern, Ashanti, Central, Savannah, and Western North.

Despite assurances from the government, civil society groups and environmental advocates have warned that unless drastic action is taken, the effects of galamsey on both the environment and human health will worsen.