Civil society organisations have been lauded for their pivotal role in the successful repeal of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which had granted President John Dramani Mahama the authority to ban mining activities in forest reserves.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Big Issue on Saturday December 12, Hamza Suhuyini, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, highlighted the constructive collaboration between government and civil society in achieving the milestone.

“We have taken not just the discretion to grant, but we have also made it illegal by the repeal of that law, and it is something that is commendable. You can celebrate this success without singling out the spirited role of civil society organisations and the commitment they have shown so far,” he said.

Mr. Suhuyini underscored that while the government delivered on its campaign promise to repeal L.I. 2462, the persistent advocacy of civil society actors was critical in ensuring that the process was executed without delay.

“In as much as government has done its bit, we would want to thank the civil society organisations for being constructive partners in this journey and doing everything in their power to ensure government did not have to renege on the promise that we made when in opposition,” he added.

The Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025, which formally annuls L.I. 2462, became law on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, following its presentation in Parliament by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.

L.I. 2462 had faced intense criticism for enabling mining in forest reserves and worsening the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. The revocation is a key part of the government’s renewed drive to protect forest resources and curb environmentally damaging mining activities.