As part of increased efforts to stop illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, the government will soon designate all of the country’s water bodies and forest reserves as national security zones, according to Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, on GTV, Mr. Buah stated that the action is intended to conserve Ghana’s vital natural resources and guarantee their long-term safety.
“The President has made it very clear that we are moving all the water bodies and the forest reserves into national security zones, which means they will become no-go areas. We are now preparing to deploy permanent military to these areas,” he stated.
The minister clarified that the establishment of a continuous security presence in these areas will operate as a disincentive to illicit miners whose operations continue to endanger the nation’s forests and water supplies.
The declaration is made at a time when residents, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations are putting more and more pressure on the government to act decisively to stop the galamsey threat, which has ruined farmlands and water bodies.