Ghana’s government is taking a significant step towards protecting its environment by introducing a new Legislative Instrument (LI) to Parliament. This instrument, known as the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2024, aims to revoke previous regulations that allowed mining in forest reserves. The move is part of the government’s strategy to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey, which has caused widespread environmental degradation, including deforestation, water pollution, and destruction of ecosystems critical to local communities’ livelihoods.

In 2022, the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations (L.I. 2462) was passed, allowing mining in forest reserves without restrictions. This led to concerns from environmental groups and activists, who pointed out the irreversible damage caused by mining in forested areas.

The new LI, developed by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, with support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Justice, seeks to limit mining activities in forest reserves. Only environmentally sustainable practices will be permitted, aligning with Ghana’s long-term ecological goals.

While the new LI is a positive step, its success depends on effective enforcement. Previous legislative attempts to curb galamsey have been hindered by weak enforcement, corruption, and the deep entrenchment of mining in local economies.

The Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has urged Ghanaians to unite against galamsey and refrain from politicizing the issue. Involving local communities, civil society, and international partners will be crucial in ensuring the success of this new legislation. The proposed revocation of the existing mining law will undergo further parliamentary scrutiny before its official passage. Stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the government’s plan to operationalize the instrument and yield meaningful environmental and socio-economic benefits.