President John Dramani Mahama has announced a GH¢200 million allocation for the reclamation of lands destroyed by illegal mining, according to Modern Ghana. This initiative is part of efforts to restore degraded forest reserves and protect Ghana's environment. The funding will support the reclamation of 5,000 acres of land starting in 2027. Speaking at the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, the President stated that nine forest reserves previously designated as red zones due to illegal mining activities have been cleared and are being prepared for reclamation. He also noted that illegal mining has affected 48 of Ghana's 288 forest reserves. The government has confiscated over 8,200 items, including 135 excavators, and retrieved nearly 200 firearms from individuals involved in illegal mining. Additionally, 6,060 excavators have been registered and detained at ports, with 2,059 fitted with tracking devices. The President commended Newmont for reclaiming nearly 800 acres of mined-out land and mentioned that the Ghana Armed Forces have been contracted to reclaim 253 acres of land in the Tano Nimiri Forest.
Update (15:50 GMT): Atinka Online also reported on this story under the headline "Mahama Announces Clearance of Nine Galamsey Red-Zone Forest Reserves, GH¢200m for Land Reclamation". Read the Atinka Online report.