Hope for forest reserves
The latest update from the Forestry Commission on the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, offers a rare but welcome dose of optimism in a battle that has long threatened the survival of the country’s forest reserves.
The Daily Graphic does not see the reclamation of nine forest reserves that were previously under the complete control of illegal miners as minor achievement at all.
Indeed, it is a testimony to persistence, sacrifice and coordinated national effort in the face of a deeply entrenched menace.
From a situation where nine forest reserves were classified as red zones — areas virtually lost to heavily armed and violent illegal miners — the country has moved to a point where no forest reserve currently falls within that most dangerous category.
This improvement and the reduction in orange zones and the expansion of green zones, signals that determined enforcement can indeed yield results.
The Forestry Commission, the military and the police deserve commendation for this progress.
They have operated under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.
Confronted by armed miners, violent resistance and recurring incursions into cleared areas, these officers have demonstrated courage and commitment well beyond the call of duty.
The seizure of nearly 200 excavators, dozens of vehicles, pumping machines and other equipment, as well as the arrest of hundreds of suspects, underscores the seriousness with which they have pursued their mandate.
These actions have not only disrupted illegal mining operations but have also sent a strong message that forest reserves are not lawless spaces.
As the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, rightly noted, the fight is far from over (See page 3 of Thursday, December 18 issue of the Daily Graphic).
Gains made can easily be reversed if vigilance wanes.
It is therefore crucial for the staff of the commission, together with the police and the military to remain guided by the national interest, placing the long-term survival of the country’s forests above all forms of intimidation, inducement or fatigue.
The protection of forest reserves should never be seen as merely an institutional obligation.
It is a patriotic duty tied directly to the country’s environmental security, water resources, biodiversity and climate resilience.
While we applaud the Forestry Commission, we also draw attention to the gaps that threaten to undermine these gains
A staffing deficit of about 2,000 officers, inadequate logistics and increasing attacks on field staff are serious concerns that must not be swept under the carpet.
We urge the government to move beyond praise and provide tangible motivation for these officers.
We reason that adequate and consistent funding, improved logistics, insurance, welfare packages and risk allowances should not be seen as luxuries but necessities for sustaining the fight against illegal mining.
We need no reminder that a demoralised and ill-equipped workforce cannot be expected to hold the line against well-funded and ruthless illegal operators.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the report is the shockingly low rate of prosecution.
Arresting over 1,200 suspects in three years and successfully prosecuting only 35 sends the wrong signal to both lawful and lawless citizens.
Such a situation emboldens offenders and weakens enforcement efforts.
That is why the Daily Graphic considers the call for the judiciary to prioritise galamsey cases and create special courts as timely and necessary.
We call for stringent, swift and visible punishment to become the norm if deterrence is to be achieved.
Those who destroy forest reserves are not committing minor offences; they are undermining national survival and must be treated as such.
Beyond institutions, the fight to protect the country’s forest reserves is the responsibility of every citizen.
Forests regulate rainfall, protect watersheds, support agriculture, preserve biodiversity and sustain livelihoods.
When forests are destroyed, communities suffer floods, water shortages, declining farm yields and health risks.
That is why silence, complicity or indifference from the public will only strengthen illegal miners.
The country must collectively resolve to intensify the fight.
The Forestry Commission has shown that progress is possible.
Government must thus back this effort with resources and motivation, the judiciary must enforce the law decisively, and citizens must stand firm in defence of our forests.
Our forest reserves are a national heritage and protecting them is an obligation we owe to ourselves and to future generations.
