The Western Regional Office of the Forestry Commission (FC) has proposed a new security strategy involving the deployment of armed security camps and surveillance technology to prevent illegal miners from returning to the Subri River Forest Reserve.
Nana Poku Bosompim, Western Regional Manager of the FC, said the strategy would combine armed rapid-response teams, surveillance systems and stronger collaboration among state security agencies to sustain control of areas cleared of illegal mining activities within the reserve.
The proposal comes amid concerns over persistent illegal mining activities in the reserve, where more than 1,000-armed illegal miners are reported to be operating.
Spanning more than 58,000 hectares, the Subri River Forest Reserve is one of the Western region’s major ecological assets and among Ghana’s largest forest reserves, accounting for about 30 per cent of the region’s total forest reserve area.
Under the proposed arrangement, teams of about 13 armed rapid-response officers would be stationed at identified illegal mining hotspots after clearance operations to deter miners from returning.
The camps would be equipped with motorbikes, vehicles, CCTV cameras and Starlink internet connectivity to enhance surveillance, improve communication and facilitate rapid reinforcement whenever threats arise.
Nana Bosompim said repeated enforcement operations had yielded results but had failed to provide a lasting solution because illegal miners frequently returned to previously cleared areas after security personnel had moved elsewhere.
“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.
He explained that the strategy was intended to address a major weakness in the current approach, where illegal miners often reoccupied cleared areas following the withdrawal of enforcement teams.
“After we have cleaned the forest reserve, we want to ensure that the miners do not return. If they return and see our forest guards and our armed team there, will they come back?” he asked.
Nana Bosompim said Forestry Commission enforcement efforts across the Western region had resulted in the destruction of illegal mining equipment, arrests and prosecutions.
He noted that the effective area of degraded forestland had declined from approximately 680 hectares to 282 hectares, representing a reduction of nearly 60 per cent.
He cautioned, however, that the gains remained fragile, as illegal miners continued to return to previously cleared sites whenever security teams were redeployed to other locations.
“Something has been done, but I can also say we are nowhere near winning the fight. There is still more work to be done and that tells us we need to sustain the fight,” he said.
Mr Joseph Nelson, Western Regional Minister, emphasised the need for inter-agency planning, intelligence-sharing and coordinated deployments to tackle armed illegal mining groups and prevent them from regaining control of cleared areas.
He expressed concern about what he described as gaps in collaboration among institutions working to address the problem, arguing that isolated operations would not produce a lasting solution.
Mr Nelson urged the relevant agencies to strengthen cooperation and pool their resources and expertise to prevent the Subri River Forest Reserve from deteriorating into a red zone.
GNA
