The Forestry Commission is considering the deployment of armed security camps at illegal mining hotspots within the Subri River Forest Reserve in the Western Region as part of efforts to prevent galamsey operators from returning to cleared areas.
Western Regional Manager of the Commission, Nana Poku Bosompim, said the proposed strategy would involve armed rapid-response teams, modern surveillance equipment and closer cooperation among security agencies to protect the reserve from further destruction.
The plan follows concerns about the growing threat posed by illegal mining activities in the forest reserve, where more than 1,000 armed miners are reportedly operating.
According to Mr Bosompim, previous operations have led to arrests, court prosecutions and the destruction of equipment used for illegal mining. However, he noted that miners frequently return to affected locations once security personnel are transferred to other areas.
To address the problem, the Commission intends to position teams of approximately 13 armed officers at selected hotspots after clearance exercises. The proposed camps will be equipped with motorbikes, vehicles, CCTV cameras and Starlink internet services to strengthen monitoring, communication and emergency response.
The officers have also received specialised training to enable them to operate effectively in forest environments.
Mr Bosompim warned against allowing the reserve to deteriorate into a severely compromised security area, stressing the need for sustained action by all stakeholders.
“We should not allow the Subri River Forest Reserve to fall into that category of a red zone. It would be a failure of epic proportions on the part of all of us if we allow the situation in Subri River to degenerate,” he said.
The Commission reported that the extent of degraded forestland had fallen from about 680 hectares to 282 hectares, representing a reduction of nearly 60 per cent.
Despite the progress, Mr Bosompim cautioned that the improvements could easily be reversed if illegal miners continued to reclaim sites that had already been cleared.
The Subri River Forest Reserve spans more than 58,000 hectares and remains one of the Western Region’s important ecological resources.
He acknowledged that protecting the region’s extensive forest areas presents a major challenge, particularly given the resources and sustained security presence required to prevent illegal activities.
The Western Region has 19 forest reserves covering approximately 209,333 hectares, making continuous monitoring and enforcement necessary to safeguard the remaining forest cover.
Mr Bosompim maintained that although some progress had been achieved, the fight against illegal mining was far from over.
“Something has been done, but I can also say we are nowhere near winning the fight. There is still more work to be done. That tells us we need to sustain the fight,” he said.
Meanwhile, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has called for improved coordination among the Forestry Commission, the military, the Navy, the Air Force, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and other relevant institutions to combat armed illegal mining groups.
Mr Nelson said effective joint planning, intelligence-sharing and coordinated deployment of personnel were necessary to prevent miners from returning to areas cleared during enforcement operations.
He also raised concerns about the level of cooperation between institutions tasked with addressing illegal mining, particularly when they operate under the same ministry but pursue separate interventions.
“The Forestry Commission is doing something on its own. On the same challenge, we have NAIMOS. How is the collaboration like? And interestingly, the two institutions are under the same ministry,” he said.
The regional minister urged the agencies to combine their resources, intelligence and operational capabilities, arguing that fragmented approaches would undermine efforts to achieve lasting results.
“Working in silos won’t help anybody,” he stressed.
The proposed armed camps are expected to help maintain a security presence at cleared mining sites, as authorities seek to consolidate the gains made so far and prevent the Subri River Forest Reserve from becoming a red zone for illegal mining activities.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.