The Aowin Division of the Forestry Commission has intensified its crackdown on illegal mining, arresting 13 Ghanaians involved in galamsey activities within the Boin Tano Forest Reserve.
In the early hours of Monday, January 19, 2026, around 1:00 a.m., two task forces of the Forestry Commission, including a Rapid Response Team, swooped on suspected galamsey sites in Jema Asemkrom within the reserve.
The operation followed intelligence reports indicating ongoing illegal mining deep inside the forest.
Aowin District Manager of the Forestry Commission, Joe Appiah Frimpong, said the task force uncovered four makeshift mining camps set up to facilitate unauthorised gold extraction.
“These camps were operating deep within the forest reserve, destroying valuable forest land and threatening the integrity of our ecosystem,” Mr Frimpong said.
“All four camps were destroyed during the operation, and equipment such as changfang machines, shovels, and other mining tools were seized and set ablaze to prevent further illegal activities.”
The suspects, aged between 19 and 29 years, were actively engaged in mining that had destroyed approximately 0.4 to 0.5 hectares of forest land.
“We have handed over the 13 suspects to the Aowin Divisional Police Command for further investigations, and they have since been arraigned in court to face the full weight of the law,” he added.
The operation underscores the Forestry Commission’s commitment to implementing the President’s renewed directives on combating illegal mining, which poses serious environmental, social, and economic threats to communities in Ghana.
“Illegal mining not only destroys our forests, but it also pollutes water bodies and threatens biodiversity,” Mr Frimpong noted. “As part of our ongoing enforcement strategy, the Forestry Commission will sustain operations across the Aowin Division to ensure that forest reserves and water bodies are fully protected.”
Residents in the Boin Tano area have welcomed the move, expressing relief that authorities are actively taking steps to curb illegal mining. Many have raised concerns over environmental degradation caused by galamsey, which has affected farmlands, water quality, and local livelihoods.
The Forestry Commission has urged the public to cooperate by reporting illegal mining activities and warned that continued violations will attract strict legal consequences.
With sustained operations planned across the division, the Aowin Forestry Commission is making it clear that the war against galamsey will not relent, and the protection of Ghana’s forests and water bodies remains a top priority.
