As part of efforts to address the escalating environmental crisis posed by irresponsible and illegal mining, the instrument to repeal the controversial Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, officially titled the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022, has been laid before Parliament.

The instrument, laid during proceedings on Thursday, March 20, 2025, seeks to reverse the law that permitted mining in forest reserves — a decision widely blamed for exacerbating illegal mining, or "galamsey," and threatening Ghana’s ecology.

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, presiding over Thursday’s proceedings, referred the repeal instrument, formally known as the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Revocation) Instrument, 2025, to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee for consideration.

The First Deputy Speaker further instructed the Lands and Natural Resources Committee to join the Subsidiary Legislation Committee in reviewing the instrument.

The pre-laying process, a procedural step demanded by the Minority in Parliament for transparency and which led to a delay, had been completed prior to Thursday's session.

L.I. 2462, enacted in November 2022, allowed mining in forest reserves under the condition of “national interest,” sparking outrage among environmentalists, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the public.

Critics argued that the law undermined previous protections, such as the 2018 Environmental Guidelines, which barred mining in Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs), like the Atewa Range and Tano Offin Forest Reserves.

Within a year of its passage, 22% of Ghana’s forest areas were reportedly allocated for mining leases, intensifying deforestation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The push to repeal L.I. 2462 gained momentum amid widespread protests and pressure from groups like the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, the Ghana Institute of Foresters, and Organised Labour, which threatened a nationwide strike in September 2024.

In response, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo directed the revocation process in October 2024 — a commitment carried forward by the current administration under President John Dramani Mahama.

The repeal process has not been without hurdles. The Minority in Parliament, now led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), insisted on a thorough pre-laying process to ensure accountability, delaying progress.

GA/AE

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