Forestry Commission arrests 12 illegal miners, impounds three excavators in South Formangso Forest Reserve

On September 13, 2026, the Forestry Commission conducted an operation in the South Formangso Forest Reserve, located in the Ashanti Region. During the raid, they apprehended 12 illegal miners and seized three excavators, along with six water-pumping machines. The remaining six Chanfang machines were destroyed on the spot. The arrested individuals were handed over to the Juaso Police for further investigation.

The operation was initiated after personnel from the Ashanti Regional Office and the Juaso District Office of the Forestry Commission detected the presence of illegal miners in the reserve. The Forestry Commission's Rapid Response Team was then mobilized to the scene. Isaac Boamah Amanquah, the Juaso District Forestry Manager, reported that the miners were using heavy-duty equipment, posing a security risk to forestry personnel.

Upon arriving at the scene, his team discovered three excavators being operated by the suspects. These machines were then transported to the Forestry Commission's Range Quarters at Asankare. Amanquah explained that the miners' activities threatened their staff, as they left unattended diggings, making it challenging to patrol the area. The destruction caused by the miners amounted to approximately two hectares.

This operation was not the first time the South Formangso Forest Reserve had been invaded by illegal miners. Last year, a similar operation was conducted by the Forestry Services Division, resulting in the destruction of makeshift structures and equipment belonging to the miners. However, the miners returned to the protected area, reshaping an old access road and using it to transport their equipment back into the reserve.

Amanquah warned anyone planning to engage in illegal mining within the reserve to cease their activities, emphasizing that the Forestry Commission maintains a zero-tolerance approach towards such actions. He stated that the Juaso Forest District keeps a constant watch on the reserve, and anyone caught will face strict legal consequences.

The Forestry Commission has since intensified patrols and monitoring operations in the area to prevent further incursions and safeguard the ecological integrity of the South Formangso Forest Reserve.