The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has laid a new Legislative Instrument (L.I. 2505) in Parliament to revoke the existing law that permits mining in forest reserves.
The instrument, known as the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Revocation) Instrument, 2025, will take effect once it matures after 21 sitting days.
On maturity, the instrument will revoke the controversial L.I. 2462, which was enacted in 2022.
The new law is to ensure that environmental management principles are legally enforced in mining operations in forest reserves.
L.I. 2462 gave the President the power to allow mining in protected forests.
Public outcry
Speaking to the press in Parliament after laying the instrument last Friday, Mr Buah said public outcry led to an amendment of L.I. 2462 by the government, which intended to delete Regulation 32 of L.I. 2462 in order to effectively limit the powers of the President in allowing mining in forest reserves.
“Obviously, that led to the new L.I. 2501, which entered into force on June 2, 2025,” he said.
Indeed, that L.I. 2501 sought to amend portions of L.I. 2462 without revoking the entire document.
The minister said in the light of continued public outcry, after complete consultation and review with experts by “the listening government”, it had become clear that “we could completely revoke the L.I. 2462 and use the guidelines enacted in 2020”.
“So, that is effectively what I have done today, and it clearly must send a message that this government is committed to basically ensuring that we continue to protect our pristine forest reserves and our environment,” Mr Buah said.
He said in a bid to keep its word, the current administration was also committed to demonstrating to Ghanaians that it was ready to protect the environment, forests and water bodies.
“And every step we are taking is clearly in line with what President Mahama has been preaching,” he said.
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