President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s forest reserves, stating that no mining license has been issued for operations within these reserves since he assumed office.
Addressing journalists at a media encounter at the Jubilee House on September 10, 2025, the President announced that steps are underway to repeal Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which currently permits mining in forest reserves.
“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.
President Mahama emphasized that the repeal will serve as a practical step in strengthening environmental protection and halting the destruction of Ghana’s forests.
Meanwhile, the Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP), has officially written to the Office of the Attorney General for the immediate revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 and its amended version, L.I. 2501.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Ministry on August 29, 2025 and signed by Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia.
The statement noted that this legal action is designed to unify and strengthen the regulatory framework, creating a cohesive front for all stakeholders in the national fight against illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey.’
The move aims to end the severe environmental devastation that has polluted Ghana’s water bodies and degraded its forest reserves.
The Minister expressed confidence that the existing regulatory regime, under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides robust and sufficient guidelines to oversee all mining activities.
