Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has issued a firm warning to illegal miners, urging them to immediately halt operations in the country’s rivers or face severe repercussions.

Speaking during a patrol of the Ankobra River in the Western Region — a waterway heavily impacted by illegal mining activities — Mr Buah said the government was embarking on a new phase in its efforts to combat galamsey, as the practice is locally known.

“We are sending a warning to anybody who has been violating our laws and destroying our water bodies. We are determined to turn them blue again,” he told reporters, accompanied by officers from the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).

“This order has already been given — stay out, or you do so at your own peril.”

Illegal mining has led to widespread environmental degradation in Ghana, with many of the country’s rivers contaminated by heavy metals and silt. The Ankobra River, among others, has become a key flashpoint in the government’s anti-galamsey campaign.

Mr Buah said the state was now taking more decisive action to protect water bodies, which he described as critical to the nation’s survival.

“There is no law in Ghana that allows anybody to mine in any river body,” he said. “Yet, our major rivers are being destroyed.”

He added that President John Dramani Mahama had directed security agencies to assume full control of the country’s rivers as part of a new enforcement approach.

“In the coming months, you will see a new shift. President Mahama’s focus is clear — we are going to take direct control of every river body. There will be a clear occupation by our security forces on all the major rivers,” Mr Buah said.

The move is the latest in a series of government efforts to tackle illegal mining, which has posed serious threats to public health, agriculture, and ecosystems across the country.

Environmental groups have welcomed the renewed commitment but warn that long-term success will require sustained enforcement, community engagement, and alternative livelihoods for miners.

Source:TheDotNews