Illegal mining has carved a trail of destruction through the concession of Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL), with vast stretches of plantation reduced to pockmarked wasteland as tens of thousands of rubber trees are uprooted to make way for gold mining.
Reports from the affected areas describe ground riddled with mining pits and entire rows of mature rubber trees ripped from the earth, their roots exposed, across areas that once formed productive plantation. The scale of the encroachment is threatening the company’s ability to sustain operations at one of Ghana’s most significant agribusiness enterprises.
GREL Corporate Affairs Manager Perry Acheampong confirmed that illegal miners have taken over sections of the company’s concession, destroying trees and cutting off access to parts of the plantation, directly reducing output. Water contamination from mining chemicals has compounded the crisis, forcing the company to temporarily shut down a factory at one point because polluted water could no longer be used in production.
Acheampong warned that if the encroachment continues, the company may be forced to permanently close one of its factories, which directly employs 600 members of staff.
Earlier security operations in the Adiewoso community of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region, launched in response to GREL’s formal complaint to the Western Regional Security Council, led to the arrest of 12 suspects and the destruction of 25 chanfang machines used for illegal mining on site. At that point, more than six hectares of plantation and approximately 2,000 mature rubber trees had already been destroyed. The situation has continued to deteriorate since then.
Jobs and Livelihoods at Risk
GREL holds a concession of approximately 21,747 hectares, making it one of the largest agribusinesses in Ghana. The company provides direct employment to thousands of workers while supporting a broader out-grower network. Traditional rulers on whose lands GREL operates have condemned galamsey activities on rubber plantations and called on government to act decisively, with one chief warning that any traditional leader involved in facilitating illegal mining should desist immediately.
The destruction of rubber trees represents a long-term production loss. Rubber trees take years to mature before they can be tapped, meaning damage done now will suppress output for many seasons to come.
A separate pressure point facing GREL and the broader rubber sector is the absence of a Legislative Instrument to enforce a government commitment made in the 2026 national budget to restrict the export of raw rubber, a measure intended to protect local processing factories that rely on consistent feedstock supply.
GREL said it continues to work with security agencies to protect its concession, but warned that without sustained enforcement and community engagement, the company’s long-term viability remains at risk.
