Forestry Commission plans armed camps to protect Subri Forest Reserve from galamsey

The Forestry Commission is proposing to establish armed security camps at illegal mining hotspots in the Subri River Forest Reserve in the Western Region to prevent miners from returning to cleared areas.

Western Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Nana Poku Bosompim, says the strategy will combine armed rapid-response teams, surveillance technology and stronger collaboration among state security agencies to sustain gains in the fight against illegal mining.

The move comes amid concerns over the scale of illegal mining in the reserve, where more than 1,000 armed illegal miners are reportedly operating. Mr Bosompim says previous enforcement operations have resulted in arrests, prosecutions and the destruction of mining equipment, but illegal miners often return when security personnel are redeployed elsewhere.

Under the proposed arrangement, teams of about 13 armed rapid-response officers will be stationed at identified hotspots after clearance operations. The camps will be equipped with motorbikes, vehicles, CCTV cameras and Starlink internet connectivity to improve surveillance, communication and rapid response. The officers have also undergone specialised training for operations in forest terrain.

“We should not allow the Subri River Forest Reserve to fall into that category of a red zone. It would be a failure of epic proportions on the part of all of us if we allow the situation in Subri River to degenerate,” he said.

The Commission says the effective area of degraded forestland has declined from approximately 680 hectares to 282 hectares, representing a reduction of nearly 60 per cent. However, Mr Bosompim says the gains remain fragile as illegal miners continue to return to previously cleared sites. The Subri River Forest Reserve covers more than 58,000 hectares and is one of the Western Region’s major ecological assets.

He admits that the scale of the region’s forest estate makes sustained enforcement difficult. The Western Region has 19 forest reserves covering approximately 209,333 hectares, requiring continued security operations to prevent further destruction. “Something has been done, but I can also say we are nowhere near winning the fight. There is still more work to be done. That tells us we need to sustain the fight,” he said.

Meanwhile, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has called for stronger collaboration among the Forestry Commission, the military, the Navy, the Air Force, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and other relevant agencies to tackle armed illegal mining groups.

Mr Nelson says joint planning, intelligence-sharing and coordinated deployments are essential to prevent illegal miners from regaining control of cleared areas. He has expressed concern about gaps in cooperation among institutions working to address the same challenge.

“The Forestry Commission is doing something on its own. On the same challenge, we have NAIMOS. How is the collaboration like? And interestingly, the two institutions are under the same ministry,” he said.

Mr Nelson has urged the agencies to pool their resources and expertise, warning that isolated operations will not deliver lasting results. “Working in silos won’t help anybody,” he stressed, as the Forestry Commission seeks to sustain enforcement gains and prevent the Subri River Forest Reserve from deteriorating into a red zone.