A joint security operation has uncovered an illegal fuel station hidden deep inside the Jimmirah Forest Reserve in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, believed to be supplying fuel to machinery used in illegal mining, commonly known locally as “galamsey”.
The operation, led by the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) in collaboration with state security agencies, took place on Thursday, 5 June, and resulted in the arrest of several foreign nationals, suspected to be at the helm of these illicit activities.
Authorities say the scale of environmental damage in the reserve is alarming. The clandestine fuel station is thought to have enabled the continued use of earth-moving equipment, hastening the destruction of forest land and nearby water bodies.
In a briefing following the raid, Dr Hannah Bissiw, Administrator of the MDF, voiced her deep concern over the ongoing devastation and called for accountability from the arrested individuals, many of whom are Chinese nationals.
“The community is fed up,” she told reporters. “They destroy the land, they destroy the water bodies, and in the end, it is the government that has to step in and provide clean water to the people. We cannot keep letting this happen.”
Dr Bissiw called for a halt to the swift deportation of foreign suspects, arguing that they should be held accountable within Ghana’s legal system before any repatriation is considered.
“If they are going to be deported, it should not be before they pay for the restoration of the Offin River,” she insisted. “We cannot allow people to wreak this kind of havoc and walk away without consequence.”
The discovery adds to growing concerns about the effectiveness of anti-galamsey efforts, with local communities bearing the brunt of ecological and economic loss. Environmental groups have long warned that the unchecked rise in illegal mining threatens not only biodiversity but also public health, as polluted rivers are often the primary water sources for nearby towns and villages.
Ghana has ramped up its campaign against illegal mining in recent years, but enforcement challenges and allegations of complicity among some officials have hampered progress. Thursday’s raid is being seen as a significant step, but one that also exposes the scale and sophistication of the operations behind illegal mining.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and more arrests may follow. Meanwhile, the MDF has called for stiffer penalties and sustained enforcement to deter further destruction of the country’s natural heritage.
