Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, has disclosed that although the fight against illegal mining remains challenging, interventions rolled out in recent months have led to noticeable improvements in forest protection and water quality.

Speaking to journalists at the National Inter-Faith Memorial Service held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, to mark the first anniversary of the Ghana Air Force helicopter crash, he said the government was making steady progress in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

"The fight against galamsey hasn't been an easy one. But we have made significant strides in the last few months," he said.

He noted that operations by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), together with the deployment of Blue Water Guards, had helped restore several forest reserves and improve the condition of major rivers that had been heavily polluted by illegal mining activities.

Sulemana disclosed that nine forest reserves that were previously under the control of illegal miners had now been reclaimed.

"Today, none of the nine forest reserves is now invaded as they were invaded before," he stated.

On the state of the country's water bodies, the Deputy Minister said water samples collected from areas being monitored by the Blue Water Guards showed declining turbidity levels, an indication that water quality was improving.

He attributed the gains to the continued deployment of military personnel to protect rivers and other water bodies from illegal mining activities.

Sulemana also said the government was working to formalise responsible small-scale mining by registering and training miners who operate outside forest reserves and water bodies.

"We are regularizing and training those who are not on water bodies and they are not in our forests. Those who are doing that on dry lands, we are regularizing them, certifying them and making them responsible in the work that they do," he explained.

While expressing optimism about the progress made so far, the Deputy Minister admitted that the fight against galamsey was far from over.

"We still have a long way to go in this course. By next year, by this time, we should be able to organize a press conference and tell Ghanaians how far we have come. At that point we should be giving figures, we should be giving visuals," he added.

ANAS/EB

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