The Government of Ghana's galamsey reclamation drive reclaimed 1,335 acres of land damaged by illegal mining in 2025, with government now setting its sights on restoring thousands more acres as part of a wider environmental recovery programme.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah announced the figures during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, saying the work was carried out in the Ashanti Region through a partnership between the state and private sector operators.
The minister described land restoration as one of the country's biggest environmental challenges, insisting that government alone cannot reverse the destruction left behind by years of illegal mining.
More land earmarked for restoration
Mr Buah disclosed that private sector partners have committed to expanding the reclamation programme this year.
"The Ministry, working with the private sector, has embarked on an aggressive strategy to reclaim degraded mining areas and transform them into ecological zones," he said.
According to him, the government aims to restore another 1,500 acres through private sector collaboration, while an additional 960 acres will be reclaimed under government-led projects in selected locations.
"We have gotten commitment from the private sector to undertake more reclamation... so we hope to improve those numbers," the minister added.
Ecological recovery remains priority
Illegal mining continues to leave vast stretches of farmland and forest reserves scarred across parts of Ghana, particularly in mineral-rich communities.
Mr Buah said the reclamation programme is designed not only to rehabilitate damaged landscapes but also to convert abandoned mining sites into ecological zones capable of supporting sustainable land use in the future.
The latest figures form part of government's broader campaign to address the environmental consequences of galamsey while strengthening long-term land restoration efforts across affected regions.
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