Gov’t officially lays L.I. to revoke controversial mining in forest reserves (L.I. 2462)

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who also serves as the acting Minister for Environment, has formally laid before Parliament the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025. This marks a significant policy shift in Ghana’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining (galamsey).

The new Legislative Instrument (L.I.), presented to Parliament on Friday, 31 October, seeks to revoke the controversial L.I. 2462, which has been at the centre of public criticism for facilitating mining activities within Ghana’s protected forest reserves.

Laying the Instrument before Parliament, Mr Buah stated that the move underscores government’s firm commitment to ending illegal mining and protecting the environment.

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Mr Buah explained:

You may recall that L.I. 2462, enacted in November 2022, was designed to ensure that environmental management principles were legally enforced in mining operations within forest reserves. However, following widespread public opposition, Regulation 3(2) was deleted to limit the President’s powers, resulting in L.I. 2501, which came into effect on 2 June 2025.

He added:

In light of current circumstances, it has become necessary to revoke L.I. 2504. Going forward, exploration and mining operations in forest reserves by legalised miners will be conducted under the 2022 reviewed guidelines until a new L.I. is introduced.

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The decision to revoke the Instrument has been widely welcomed by environmental advocacy groups, including A Rocha Ghana, which described it as a “major turning point” in the fight against galamsey, that has severely damaged ecosystems and contaminated water sources across the country.

According to Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution, the new revocation Instrument will take effect after twenty-one (21) parliamentary sitting days unless annulled by a two-thirds majority vote.

L.I. 2462, formally known as the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022, was passed in November 2022, ostensibly to establish statutory procedures for mining in forest reserves and outline remedial measures to mitigate environmental harm.

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However, the regulation drew strong criticism from environmentalists, civil society organisations, and the general public, who argued that it inadvertently legitimised mining in protected areas and undermined efforts to stop galamsey.

The revocation of this controversial law signals a renewed commitment by the government to protect Ghana’s forests and restore ecological balance, aligning with the country’s broader environmental and climate resilience goals.