Samreboi: Tano rain forest under threat from illegal miners

As part of measures by the Government of Ghana to reduce the repercussions of climate change as well as regained the country’s forest reserves which have been destroyed by the activities of illegal mining popularly known as Galamsey, the Government introduced the Green Ghana Day where trees are planted yearly.

This year, more than 20 million trees were planted however continuous activity of illegal miners is threatening the growth of these trees in the Amenfi West district.

Speaking at a press conference by the timber and woodworkers Union at Samreboi, the general secretary of the union Mark Ofori Asante has hinted that the increased activity of Galamsey in the area and threatening the green Ghana project.

He lamented that if such activities are not checked in the forest reserve, especially at Samreboi their livelihood will be at a risk.

The destroyed forest vegetation was replanted as part of Ghana’s Green Ghana project under the government’s flagship project, the Green Ghana project by Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.

“The Green Ghana project is under threat, unfortunately, on August 4, 2022, another group of nation wreckers sent excavators and locally manufactured galamsey washing plants guarded by heavily armed personnel in military uniform and brandishing arms and other offensive weapons illegally entered compartment 161 of the Tano rain forest.”

“Unlike the previous invasion of 2021… about 20 acres of forest vegetation were destroyed and it took the intervention of a combined military and forestry task force to stop the illegal Chinese miners and their collaborators.”