By Jeremiah Nutsugah
The Ghanaian government is gearing up to introduce a new Legislative Instrument (LI) to Parliament, specifically designed to repeal prior regulations that allowed mining activities in environmentally sensitive areas.
This move is expected to bring significant changes to the country’s mining landscape, prioritizing environmental protection and conservation. Dubbed the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2024, this move seeks to overturn LI 2462, which had allowed mining in certain forest reserves.
Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, announced on October 15 during a parliamentary session that the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation has developed a new Legislative Instrument (LI).
This initiative received technical backing from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and was created in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General’s Department.
Ghana’s new Legislative Instrument is a vital tool in the fight against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. This destructive practice has ravaged the country’s forest reserves, water bodies, and agricultural lands over the past decade.
The devastating consequences of galamsey include widespread deforestation, water pollution, and ecosystem destruction, posing a significant threat to the livelihoods of local communities.
Afenyo-Markin emphasized the government’s determination to stop this destructive practice, stating, “This revocation demonstrates our commitment to addressing the illegal mining menace that has ravaged our environment.”
He noted that this move will limit mining activities in forest reserves, ensuring only environmentally sustainable practices align with Ghana’s long-term ecological goals.
