The John Mahama administration, has intensified its nationwide land reclamation programme in a decisive effort to reverse the environmental damage caused by illegal mining across the country. The initiative is focused on restoring degraded forest reserves, sealing hazardous abandoned mine pits, and rehabilitating polluted landscapes through large-scale reforestation.
The latest phase of this environmental campaign was launched yesterday at Nkroful in the Western Region where approximately 800 acres of massively mined-out land along the River Subri have been targeted for complete restoration.
Thousands of cassia and teak seedlings, specifically selected for their ability to rapidly improve soil quality, restore ecological health, and return the land to productive use, are expected to be planted across the degraded terrain under the project.
A similar initiative is already active at Manso Nyankumase in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region, where vast tracts of abandoned mining lands have successfully been replanted with cassia and teak as part of efforts at protecting Ghana’s “Green Gold”.The initiative relies on a dual-pronged approach that pairs ecological recovery with socio-economic support for local communities.
It also serves as an immediate economic driver to create direct jobs in tree planting, plantation management, and long-term forestry development for residents living in mining-affected communities.
The government has officially handed the site over to RM Ecorestore Ghana Limited to spearhead the reclamation and reforestation efforts, which is being sponsored by corporate mining firm, Zijin Golden Ridge Limited.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who brokered this initiative said the corporate partnership would save the state millions of cedis that would have otherwise been drawn directly from the Consolidated Fund.
Speaking at the official launch of the Nkroful project, Lands and Natural Resources Minister reiterated that safeguarding Ghana’s lands, forests, and water bodies remains a non-negotiable national priority.
“The Mahama administration is determined to reverse the damage caused by years of irresponsible mining activities, especially in our forest reserves and farming communities,” he said.
The Minister highlighted two central pillars driving the government’s environmental sustainability agenda – The Tree for Life Programme, which focuses on aggressive, nationwide reforestation and the Blue Water Programme, dedicated to reversing polluted water bodies and promoting responsible, sustainable land-use practices.
The Minister said Environmental stewardship had been positioned as a core pillar of President Mahama’s governance agenda noting that open and abandoned mining pits pose immediate safety and health risks to local communities and that transforming these hazards into stable forest plantations and agricultural lands remains a primary goal under the Greener Vision.
Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah assured the public that the Nkroful and Nyankumase projects are only the beginning because the government plans to aggressively scale these reclamation partnerships across the country to ensure that no land is left permanently destroyed by galamsey.
Nana Kyeame Ampratwum, Lead Operational Director at Ecorestore Ghana Limited, commended the Mahama administration and praised the Lands Minister’s leadership and commitment to securing the project’s long-term sustainability.
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