The Municipal Chief Executive of Upper Denkyira East in the Central Region, Mr. George Anane Coleman, has officially launched a land reclamation exercise aimed at restoring areas destroyed by illegal mining (galamsey).

The initiative, which follows the directive of President John Dramani Mahama, will see degraded lands reclaimed for the cultivation of cocoa and oil palm trees.

Engineer Abdulai Amo, Chairman of the Land Reclamation Committee, assured the public that measures are being put in place to prevent galamsey operators and their mining equipment from returning to the sites.

He emphasised that the exercise will not only restore the environment but also make the land available for sustainable projects.

Addressing the media, the NDC Chairman for Upper Denkyira East, Mr. John Swanzy Arhin, urged galamsey operators to fill abandoned pits to prevent disasters.

He appealed to them to cooperate with the authorities and adhere to directives aimed at protecting water bodies and forest reserves from further destruction.