Ghana’s forest reserves, critical for water security and agriculture, are embroiled in a political and environmental storm. This comes after President John Mahama face mounting public anger over a controversial mining law—a policy his party once opposed.
Meanwhile, the president has launched a fierce crackdown on illegal miners blamed for devastating cocoa plantations, a key sector of Ghana’s economy.
The newly enacted law, which allows regulated mining in protected forest zones, has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups, opposition leaders, and farming communities. Protesters in Accra and Kumasi have condemned the move, warning that it will accelerate deforestation and worsen water scarcity.
“Our forests feed our rivers and sustain our farms—this law is a death sentence for both,” said Kofi Mensah, a farmer from the Eastern Region.
At the same time, Mahama has launched a new hunt against illegal miners, particularly small-scale Galamsey operators, whose activities have ravaged cocoa farmlands. The government claims the clampdown has already led to hundreds of arrests and the destruction of illegal mining equipment.
However, critics argue that the president’s aggressive stance against galamsey rings hollow while his administration opens protected forests to legal mining corporations.
“You cannot chase illegal miners with one hand and hand our forests to big mining companies with the other,” said environmental activist Ama Serwah. The opposition NPP has also accused Mahama of hypocrisy, recalling his past criticism of similar policies.
Farmers are demanding stronger protections with cocoa production declining due to land degradation and water pollution. As tensions rise, the government insists its mining law includes safeguards, but activists vow to keep protesting until it is repealed.
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