Galamsey fight: About $48,000 is needed to reclaim single hectare of land; over 5,500 hectares to go – Lands Ministry Spokesperson

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has appealed to Corporate Ghana to support the country’s land reclamation efforts, citing the enormous financial burden involved in restoring degraded lands.

Media Relations Officer for the Ministry, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, disclosed that approximately 5,500 hectares of land have been devastated, largely due to illegal mining activities, and require urgent reclamation.

He revealed that reclaiming just one hectare of degraded land costs about $48,000, making the nationwide restoration exercise highly capital-intensive.

“If you want to reclaim a single hectare of land, you are looking at $48,000. So $48,000 multiplied by 5,500 hectares — you can do the math. That shows how cost-intensive it is,” he explained in an inyterview on Acra-based Joy Prime.

Mr. Schandorf acknowledged that government alone cannot shoulder the financial responsibility of reclaiming degraded lands.

“Because of the cost-intensiveness, government cannot do it alone. If I may use your platform to call on Corporate Ghana to come on board and support,” he appealed.

He cited the reclamation project at Manso Adubia, which was facilitated by Newmont Ghana, as a successful example of private sector partnership in restoring degraded lands.

However, he noted that only 320 hectares have so far been reclaimed, leaving more than 5,500 hectares still requiring restoration.

“The reclamation as Manso Adubia was facilitated by Newmont Ghana but we have so many more to go. We have only 320 hectares and we have over 5500 hectares,” he added.

The Ministry says strengthening collaboration between government and the private sector will be critical in accelerating land reclamation efforts and mitigating the environmental damage caused by illegal mining activities across the country.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah recently inspected the successful reclamation of 320 hectares of mined-out sites at Manso Nyankomanse in the Ashanti Region.

During a visit to the site on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, the Minister applauded the completion of the project, which has healed the devastation caused by illegal mining activities in the area.

Addressing the press, the Minister said land reclamation remains a top priority for government, and therefore he is happy about the progress so far.

According to him, government will continue to embark on more reclamation programmes to restore huge parcels of land that have been lost to wanton illegal mining activities across the length and breadth of the country.

“I am delighted to be here today at Manso Nyankomanse in the Ashanti Region to inspect the reclamation of degraded mined-out sites undertaken as part of Government’s national reclamation agenda and the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative,” the Minister stressed.

“I am pleased to note that a total of 320 hectares have been reclaimed across Site One (Nyankomanse – 240 ha) and Site Two (Asare – 80 ha) under this initiative.

“These reclaimed lands will help restore ecological balance, improve land productivity, and contribute to the long-term socio-economic development of the affected communities,” Armah-Kofi Buah added.

Inspecting the project, the Minister thanked Newmont Ghana Limited for supporting the successful completion of the exercise.

In expressing his gratitude, the sector minister also called on the corporate community to collaborate with government in spearheading such initiatives.

This, he said, will help in the collective restoration of the environment that has been lost to prolong illegal mining activities.