The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, led a joint security operation targeting illegal mining activities in the Tilli Forest Reserve, which spans the Nabdam and Bawku West Districts.
The operation resulted in 73 arrests, including infants, and the seizure of mining equipment following complaints of foreign encroachment into the protected area.
A team comprising police, military, and immigration officers conducted the raid, uncovering air compressors, drilling machines, motorbikes, gold-processing equipment, and personal belongings at multiple sites. Among those detained were 27 Togolese, two Burkinabes, and 41 Ghanaians.
Mr. Akamugri stated that the raid was prompted by a complaint from Naba Sigri Bewong, the chief of Sakoti in the Nabdam District, on February 20, 2025. The chief had reported an influx of foreign miners into the reserve during a meeting with the minister.
“Based on that, we held a Regional Security Council (REGSEC) meeting and decided it was important to follow up and verify the paramount chief’s claims,” Hon. Akamugri said. “We have confirmed that mining is taking place in the river itself. Some individuals are actively mining in the water.”
Miners were found operating directly in the Red Volta River and along its banks, with significant tree loss in the reserve due to campsites, domestic activities, and underground mining.
The Red Volta, which connects to the White Volta, has suffered environmental damage from these illegal operations, the regional minister noted.
“Forest reserves are not places for any form of economic activity except for the purpose for which they were established. Illegal mining is unacceptable. No form of mining is permitted in protected forests,” Mr. Akamugri emphasized, citing Ghana’s prohibition on mining in such areas.
Source: Upper East Regional Coordinating Council
