President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to restoring forest reserves degraded by illegal mining activities popularly known as galamsey through a comprehensive reclamation program supported by the carbon credit system.
Speaking at the Jubilee House on Friday, May 23, 2025, when the Catholic Bishops Conference paid a courtesy call on him, the former President disclosed the extent of environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.
He described the extent of destruction caused by galamsey as troubling and stressed the urgency of coordinated efforts.
“16% of our forest reserves have been destroyed and encroached upon. It will need both reclamation and rehabilitation of the forest. And we are intending to do that under the carbon credit system”, he noted.
Illegal mining activities persist in the country despite efforts by successive governments to combat the menace.
The government has introduced the Blue Water Guards initiative to support enforcement operations against galamsey.
The move forms part of broader efforts to combat illegal mining and restore Ghana’s water bodies.
Watch the video below:
Mahama Vows to Reclaim Galamsey-Damaged Forests:
President Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to ending illegal mining, assuring the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference that the government is on track to restore all forests devastated by galamsey.#ChannelOneNews | #CitiVerify pic.twitter.com/SF9bpJH5iF— ChannelOne TV (@Channel1TVGHA) May 23, 2025
JKB/MA
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