October 05, 2025
News
The Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, said on Thursday that illegal small-scale mining, locally known as galamsey, has declined since President John Dramani Mahama took office.
He has however cautioned that the practice continues to endanger water bodies and farmlands.
The traditional ruler, who was sworn in as a Justice of the Court of Appeal alongside 20 others, told reporters in Accra that tighter enforcement and local initiatives had curbed the activities of illegal miners who previously operated with little resistance.
“I have been on this stool for almost 26 and a half years. Galamsey did not start yesterday; it has been with us for some time. But now it is going down,” he said.
Badu credited new security measures, including the introduction of “blue waterguards,” for protecting forest reserves that were previously overrun by miners.
“Before this regime came, nine forest reserves had been taken over. Now that situation has been curbed,” he added.
He stressed, however, that the problem has not been eradicated. “I wouldn’t stand here and say galamsey is gone; it is still with us. We should ensure that we nip this situation in the bud,” he said.
The Dormaahene vowed to enforce a zero-tolerance policy in his area, warning that he would personally arrest offenders and hand them over to police. He appealed to citizens to help preserve the country’s natural resources.
“This is the only thing our ancestors left for us, so we don’t have to destroy our water bodies and cocoa farms. We must farm the right way so we can all be happy,” he said.
An officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) was reportedly killed and another injured in an armed attack at the Gbintri inland checkpoint in the East Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region on Friday, October 3, 2025.
The incident, according to reports, occurred around 1:30 a.m. when unidentified assailants opened fire on officers stationed at the checkpoint
Rafiq Mohammed, an Assistant Immigration Control Officer II (AICOII), reportedly died instantly from gunshot wounds.
His colleague, Oppong Daniel, also an AICOII, who was also present, is said to have sustained serious injuries to the jaw and back and is currently receiving treatment at the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu.
According to reports, the police investigators recovered AK-47 shell casings at the scene along with a GIS service rifle with registration number GH/GIS/HQACN 668516-1646.
A joint response team, led by Superintendent Francis Brobbey, Gambaga Municipal Police Commander, and DIS Moro Tanko Mohammed, North Regional Intelligence Officer of the GIS, was dispatched to the scene
Authorities have said that investigations have commenced to establish the circumstances of the attack and to track down the perpetrators.
Officials have assured that further developments will be communicated as the investigation progresses.
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The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has reaffirmed government’s tough stance against illegal mining, declaring all forest reserves and river bodies as Security Zones to be protected at all costs.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a week-long training programme for personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in Sunyani, the Minister praised the team for their relentless efforts since its establishment in June.
He highlighted key achievements, including:
• The arrest of over 1,000 illegal miners
• The reclamation of nine previously “no-go” forest reserves
• The confiscation of more than 900 water pumps, now handed to the Ministry of Agriculture to support irrigation projects.
“These are not mere statistics. They are victories – victories for our land, for our water, and for our people,” Hon. Buah said.
He reminded the task force that the fight was far from over, stressing that the training was designed not only to sharpen skills but also to build cohesion among the Army, Police, Immigration Service, NIB, and NACOC officers.
Outlining the Ministry’s Five-Pronged Strategy – enforcement, engagement and education, alternative livelihoods, technological innovation, and institutional coordination – he said the training modules covered weapons handling, field craft, IED awareness, and intelligence coordination to prepare NAIMOS for evolving threats.
“You are the sharpened tip of the spear. Any recalcitrant entrant into these declared Security Zones is not merely a trespasser; they are an enemy of the state and must be treated as such. Be firm, resolute, and ruthless against those who seek to destroy our common heritage,” he charged.
Hon. Buah further disclosed that NAIMOS personnel will be permanently deployed in forests and along river bodies to provide sustained protection. He urged them to embody vigilance, integrity, and courage, assuring that the President and all well-meaning Ghanaians were counting on them to safeguard the environment for future generations.
“We cannot fail, and we will not fail,” he stressed.
The Sunyani training exercise, he noted, marks a pivotal moment in government’s aggressive anti-galamsey strategy – not only scaling up enforcement but also sustaining reforms to ensure responsible and sustainable mining practices nationwide.
Sompaonline.com /Prince Atta-Boateng
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