More than 60,000 hectares of forest land — roughly the size of 84,000 football fields — have vanished from southern Ghana due to illegal mining over the past 17 years, according to satellite data from the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI).
The data highlights widespread environmental devastation across the Ashanti, Western, Western North, and other southern regions. Officials warn that the actual national figure could be far higher once comprehensive field studies are completed.
GSSTI’s Director, Dr. Joseph Tandoh, noted that the continued encroachment on forests poses severe ecological threats and called for swift government intervention. He made these remarks during the 5th Arab and Africa Impact Cratering and Astrogeology Conference held at the University of Ghana, organised in collaboration with the African Initiative for Planetary and Space Sciences.
Dr. Tandoh emphasised the need for stronger restoration efforts, urging authorities to prioritise the Tree for Life Afforestation Programme as a way to reclaim degraded lands. He explained that forest protection efforts tend to yield results only when consistently enforced, warning that Ghana’s environmental future depends on sustainable forest management.
He proposed the use of technology to monitor reforestation projects, suggesting that trees be geo-tagged to track their growth and survival rates. According to him, claims of millions of trees being planted must be supported by data showing their locations and progress.
GSSTI’s research also found that Ghana loses about 1.3 metres of its coastline annually. Dr. Tandoh described this as a national concern that requires coordinated action with neighbouring coastal countries. He cautioned that while sea defence projects may offer temporary relief, they can redirect erosion to other areas if not managed comprehensively.
On the country’s progress in space development, he said Ghana now has a national space policy, Cabinet approval for a space agency, and ongoing work toward a space bill to regulate activities in the sector.
At the same conference, Dr. Marian Selorm Sapah, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Earth Science, noted that the event was helping to build capacity in planetary and space sciences across Africa. She said strengthening education and research in these fields could enhance remote sensing, agriculture, and climate studies.
She added that while GSSTI oversees policy for Ghana’s space initiatives, collaboration with researchers and earth scientists will ensure well-informed and sustainable development of the sector.
