No mining permits will be granted in forest reserves, and L.I. 2462 will be revoked

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President John Dramani Mahama has said that no mining license has been granted for operations within Ghana’s forest reserves since he took office, reaffirming his government’s commitment to protecting these areas.

Speaking to reporters during a September 10, 2025, media meeting at the Jubilee House, the President stated that efforts are being made to revoke Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which now authorizes mining in forest areas.

“Let me be clear: since my administration resumed office, not a single license has been issued to any company to mine in our forest reserves. The process to repeal L.I. 2462 is ongoing as a demonstration of our firm commitment to ending mining activities in these critical ecosystems,” he said.

The repeal, according to President Mahama, will be a useful step in bolstering environmental protection and stopping the devastation of Ghana’s forests.

Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 and its amended version, L.I. 2501, should be immediately revoked, according to a formal letter sent to the Office of the Attorney General by Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP), Acting Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology.

This was revealed in a statement signed by Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia and released by the Ministry on August 29, 2025.

The legal action, according to the statement, is intended to reinforce and harmonize the regulatory framework, providing a unified face for all parties involved in the national campaign against “galamsey,” or unlawful mining.

The goal of the action is to stop the serious environmental destruction that has contaminated Ghana’s water supplies and damaged its forest reserves.

The minister expressed confidence that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current regulatory framework offers strong and adequate standards to monitor all mining operations.

Statement Below:

Source: newsthemegh.com