Alarms have been raised over reports that armed soldiers, including a retired warrant officer, have been seen guarding illegal mining (galamsey) operations within the Anwiaso East Forest Reserve in the Bibiani area of Ghana’s Western North Region.
In July 2024, Forestry Commission forces arrested a 49-year-old Chinese man named Lin Chil for illegal mining in the reserve. Officers found heavily armed men, led by a retired Warrant Officer Daniel Antwi, allegedly guarding the site.
Investigators reported that in June 2024, personnel described as “military officers” hired by a private company (Mensin Gold Bibiani Ltd) stormed the District Forest Services office in a military vehicle, threatening staff by name. Locals believe these were deployed to protect galamsey activities.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have since denied any official deployment of soldiers to protect mining firms, clarifying that the men in uniform were likely private security contractors impersonating soldiers, not actual GAF personnel.
The Anwiaso East Forest Reserve, like many others across Ghana, has become a hotspot for illegal mining operations, with invaders often using heavy machinery and, at times, arriving under the protection of armed security details.
In response, the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response Team regularly mounts raids to dismantle these operations, seize equipment, and arrest offenders, efforts that have occasionally met with armed resistance.
Public anxiety has grown, especially in light of past incidents where military personnel were implicated in violent confrontations with illegal miners.
The reported presence or suspicion of military involvement in recent forest incursions is further heightening tensions and fueling distrust.
Authorities are currently investigating two key incidents and arrests in July and September 2024 linked to illegal mining activity within forest reserves.
The Forestry Commission and Ghana Police Service are expected to release findings on the identities and affiliations of those detained.
Simultaneously, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is conducting an internal review to determine whether individuals posing as soldiers were in fact serving personnel or impersonators.
As public concern mounts, there is growing pressure on government and Parliament to respond, possibly through policy reforms or the deployment of permanent military detachments to protect ecologically sensitive reserves.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
