The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, have jointly launched a major land reclamation campaign to restore degraded lands in the Ashanti Region.

The Jimi Land Reclamation and River Watercourse Rehabilitation Project was officially launched on Tuesday, October 14, 2026, at Tasliman in the Adansi Sakwa District.

The pilot project targets the restoration of 153 hectares of land upstream of the Jimi Dam and the rehabilitation of the degraded Jimi River watercourse.

The intervention has become necessary following severe environmental destruction in the area caused by illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey. The activities have resulted in stripped vegetation, soil contamination, and toxic sediment runoff, posing a direct threat to the Jimi Dam which serves as a vital source of drinking water for the Adanse Traditional Area.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, said government is committed to driving the national campaign against environmental degradation, adding that the Jimi model must be replicated across the country to restore degraded landscapes and promote greening.

The project is anchored by Manhyia Palace as part of its environmental restoration agenda. Implementation is being led by the Ashanti Green Initiative, which is responsible for community engagement, with technical and operational support from AngloGold Ashanti through its Obuasi Mine under Managing Director Samuel Boakye Pobee.

The initiative is backed by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs led by Hon. Mahama Ayariga.

The launch featured an inspection of the Jimi Dam, a technical briefing on the extent of degradation, and a symbolic tree-planting exercise led by the Asantehene, the two Ministers, and the Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine.

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