Forestry Commission Recruits to Boost Anti-Galamsey Operations Nationwide
The Forestry Commission of Ghana has officially announced a new nationwide recruitment campaign to strengthen its fight against illegal mining activities that continue to damage the country’s forests, rivers, and wildlife reserves. This initiative, being carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, seeks to increase enforcement capacity and enhance natural resource management.
The recruitment drive targets multiple departments within the Forestry Commission, including the Forest Services Division, Wildlife Division, Timber Industry Development Division, the Forestry Commission Training Centre, and the Resource Management Support Centre. Applications are open to qualified Ghanaians with a minimum of a Senior High School Certificate or vocational qualifications from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI). Positions are also available for drivers and artisans.
Interested applicants are advised to submit their CVs and cover letters via email to forestry.commission.ghana.gov@gmail.com.
Ghana is currently battling one of the most severe environmental crises in its history. Illegal small-scale mining, locally known as galamsey, has become a nationwide problem, causing large-scale destruction of forests, farmlands, and water bodies. The degradation threatens biodiversity, food security, and the health of millions of Ghanaians, particularly those living in mining-prone regions.
By expanding its workforce, the Forestry Commission aims to intensify ground operations, increase surveillance of forest reserves, and implement more community engagement programs. These efforts form part of the government’s broader strategy to protect natural resources and ensure sustainable development.
Galamsey: A Persistent National Threat
Once a livelihood activity for small communities, galamsey has evolved into a highly organized, destructive industry involving both local and foreign actors. Its effects have reached alarming levels. Forest reserves that once served as carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots are now scarred by deep pits and polluted streams.
According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 2.5 million hectares of forest cover have been impacted by illegal mining activities over the past 15 years. Major river systems such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin continue to record dangerously high levels of mercury and other toxic substances. These rivers, once relied upon for drinking water and agriculture, are now at the center of environmental health concerns.
Water treatment plants in affected regions have also been forced to shut down or operate under severe constraints due to increasing contamination levels. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has warned on multiple occasions that the cost of treating polluted water has more than doubled in some areas, putting pressure on municipal budgets and affecting water access in low-income communities.
The government has implemented various anti-galamsey measures, including the deployment of joint military and police task forces, the introduction of the Operation Halt II campaign, and technological solutions like drone monitoring and satellite mapping. While these actions have had some success in halting illegal mining operations temporarily, the problem persists, largely due to unemployment, weak local enforcement, and complicity among certain political and business actors.
Community-based solutions have also begun to emerge. In regions such as Ashanti and Western North, local forestry task forces, often made up of volunteers and trained community members, have been effective in reporting and resisting illegal mining activities. The ongoing Green Ghana Project, launched in 2021, has mobilized schoolchildren, chiefs, civil society, and corporate partners to plant over 41 million trees nationwide. The project continues to raise environmental awareness and encourage reforestation.
What This Recruitment Aims to Achieve
With this latest recruitment exercise, the Forestry Commission is focusing on long-term institutional capacity building. Beyond increasing manpower for patrols and enforcement, the Commission is expected to train new recruits in sustainable forest management, wildlife protection, GIS-based forest monitoring, and environmental education.
According to Commission officials, applicants who are recruited will undergo structured training programs at the Forestry Commission Training Centre before being deployed to critical zones where illegal mining activities are rampant. Special focus will be placed on protecting forest reserves like the Atewa, Bia Tano, and Kakum forests, which have come under repeated threat.
While the recruitment initiative is a step in the right direction, experts caution that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem of galamsey. Root causes such as rural poverty, lack of formal job opportunities for youth, and institutional corruption must be addressed holistically. Civil society groups have called for stronger prosecution of offenders, stricter regulation of licensed small-scale mining, and greater transparency in the allocation of mining concessions.
Furthermore, the success of this initiative will depend on the timely allocation of resources, political will, and the ability of the Forestry Commission to retain and equip its personnel effectively.
The fight against illegal mining in Ghana is complex and ongoing. With the launch of this national recruitment effort, the Forestry Commission signals its intent to step up enforcement and conservation work. However, protecting Ghana’s forests and water bodies will require more than boots on the ground it will demand sustained investment, community cooperation, and long-term policy commitment
