The Central Regional Land Reclamation Committee has reclaimed more than 10 hectares of degraded land since its inauguration on June 19, 2025, marking a significant milestone in efforts to restore lands damaged by illegal mining and to prevent loss of lives from uncovered mining pits.

The Committee was established following a resolution by the Central Regional Security Council (REGSEC), acting on a directive from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and a proposal submitted by the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Chief Executive.

Its core mandate is to rehabilitate abandoned mining sites and curb the recurring incidents of drowning and disease outbreaks linked to uncovered pits.

The Committee is chaired by the Central North Regional Police Commander, DCOP Abraham Acquaye, with Engr. Abdulai Amo serving as Technical Coordinator and the Central Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), CDCO E. K. Dawood Mensah, as Secretary.

Its membership also includes representatives from the Ghana Police Service, Fire Service, Immigration Service, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Minerals Commission, and several Municipal and District Chief Executives from affected areas.

Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, the Committee noted that despite multiple government-led operations against illegal mining over the years—including Operation Flush-Out, Operation Vanguard, Operation Halt, and NAiMOS—numerous mining pits remain abandoned.

These pits have posed serious environmental and public safety risks, making reclamation an urgent necessity.

As part of the exercise, the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) provided earth-moving equipment under the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), including wheel loaders, bulldozers, and a low-bed truck to support the reclamation works.

The Committee has also dismissed claims that DRIP machines were destroyed by illegal miners, describing such reports as deliberate misinformation.

According to the Committee, no equipment involved in the current reclamation exercise has been burnt or vandalised.

One low-bed truck had its engine damaged through sabotage in 2024, while another was involved in a road accident in 2025, resulting in tyre fires but not total destruction.

Public education and sensitisation have played a key role in the success of the initiative.

The Committee undertook extensive media engagements across local radio stations and community information centres in the Upper Denkyira enclave, receiving what it described as overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents.

Notably, leadership and members of small-scale mining groups in the operational areas have cooperated fully with the exercise.

The Committee indicated that many of the abandoned pits were left behind by foreign miners who operated in the area between 2017 and 2023 and have since relocated.

Data from the Ghana Police Service and NADMO show that 27 people drowned in abandoned mining pits in the Upper Denkyira East area between February and August 2025.

However, since the commencement of the reclamation exercise, no such incidents have been recorded—an outcome authorities say underscores the effectiveness of the intervention.

Despite the gains, the Committee has identified challenges, including inadequate vehicle support, the impact of the rainy season on operations, and persistent misinformation aimed at undermining the exercise.

The Committee has therefore recommended that the RCC develop a comprehensive plan to put reclaimed lands to productive use, while REGSEC strengthens security measures to prevent illegal mining from resuming on rehabilitated sites. Continued public sensitisation has also been urged to sustain community support.

In a statement issued by the Committee’s Secretary, CDCO E. K. Dawood Mensah, the initiative was described as a critical step toward environmental sustainability and public safety.

He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to continuing the exercise in collaboration with local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure long-term success.