The Forestry Commission of Ghana has sounded the alarm on the glaring inadequacy of its arsenal to effectively confront the well-armed perpetrators of illegal mining, ‘galamsey‘ in the country’s forest reserves.
Speaking on behalf of the government’s agency tasked with safeguarding the country’s precious natural resources, Nana Poku Bosompim, the Head of the Forestry Commission, Western Region, made a passionate plea for the government to urgently address this critical shortcoming.
Nana Bosompim together with his colleague officers, who are one of the task forces at the forefront of the country’s fight against illegal mining, eloquently described the challenges faced by his “men in the arena” – the resource guards who put their lives on the line to defend the forests.
“So we need to look at the act that established the Forestry Commission once again. It should be amended to make the Forestry Commission of Ghana a pseudo-military organisation, so that the field officers, the forest guards, the main managers can be properly armed, protected, so that they can go on fiercely in their fight to protect the forest.”
Nana Poku Bosompim
Forestry Commission’s Role in Illegal Mining Fight
Being the custodian of Ghana’s forests, the Forestry Commission plays a pivotal role in the country’s fight against the scourge of illegal mining, which has caused immense damage to the nation’s ecosystems, water bodies, and agricultural lands.
The Commission’s field officers and resource guards are tasked with patrolling and protecting these vital natural resources from the onslaught of ‘galamseyers.’
However, as Nana Bosompim’s account revealed, the Commission’s personnel are severely underequipped to confront the well-armed and determined illegal miners.
The resource guards, often the first line of defense, are armed with little more than machetes, while the ‘galamseyers’ possess firearms and claim to have “spiritual fortifications” against the Commission’s efforts.
According to Mr. Bosompim, the commission’s officers at the frontline of the galamsey fight are not well-resourced to the extent that some of them have to rely on their personal resources to be able to serve the country.
“You see me dressed like this in my bulletproof vest because we are going for an operation right after this programme. But I tell you, all my officers, none of them has a single bulletproof like this. This is something I purchased myself to protect my own body. We are talking about bulletproof vest, bulletproof helmet, something that will protect our officers as they enter the forest.”
Nana Poku Bosompim
The commission believes the nation must do better to protect the lives of those fighting to protect it. “So I believe strongly that a time has come that we need to retool the Forestry Commission,” Mr. Bosompim recommended.
Urgent Need for Reforms
Nana Bosompim’s plea for the Forestry Commission to be transformed into a “pseudo-military organization” with the power to bear arms and protect its personnel is a testament to the dire situation on the ground.
He rightly points out that in many other African nations, the forestry sector is equipped with the necessary tools and authority to effectively safeguard natural resources.
The relevant stakeholders including but not limited to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources must heed this urgent call for reforms and increased support for the Forestry Commission officers who have over the period demonstrated commitment to fighting the illegal mining activities in the country’s forest reserves.
“So long as there are no blazing bullets flying in the air, we are not deterred. We will face them,” Nana Poku assured
The successful protection of Ghana’s forests and the eradication of illegal mining are not only crucial for the country’s environmental sustainability but also for the long-term viability of the mining sector itself.
It is time for the government to prioritize the safety and empowerment of the Commission’s frontline personnel, enabling them to confront the ‘galamseyers’ with the necessary tools and authority.
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