The Attorney General (AG), Godfred Yeboah Dame, has instructed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to initiate steps for the revocation of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022 (L.I. 2462), according to officials familiar with the matter.
The directive comes in response to mounting opposition from environmental groups, labour organizations, and other stakeholders, who have called for the repeal of the law amid concerns over illegal mining and its environmental impact.
Environmental activists and Organised Labour have been vocal critics of L.I. 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves, arguing that it exacerbates ecological damage.
Organised Labour had earlier threatened an indefinite strike starting on October 10 to protest illegal mining and its pollution of water bodies.
Additionally, a coalition of six civil society organizations (CSOs) and an individual plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the government, challenging the legality of L.I. 2462. The plaintiffs, including A Rocha Ghana, Nature and Development Foundation, and the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, argue that the regulation was improperly enacted and would lead to environmental degradation.
Although the planned strike by Organised Labour did not proceed, discussions between the group and the government resulted in a consensus to tackle illegal mining, known locally as “galamsey.” As part of this effort, the government agreed to repeal L.I. 2462 and renew its commitment to curbing illegal mining activities.
Illegal mining has caused significant environmental harm in Ghana, including the contamination of rivers through the use of mercury and widespread deforestation, which has damaged farmland and displaced communities.
The revocation of the regulation marks a key step in addressing public concerns over the environmental impact of illegal mining, which has long been a contentious issue in the country.
The Deputy National Director. A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, reacting to the latest development said “It is exciting to see how a united groundswell of voices from professional bodies, faith-based groups, Organized Labour, and Civil Society has compelled the state to revoke L.I. 2462, a law that never should have been passed.”
He noted that the decision to revoke this Instrument is a significant and progressive move towards protecting Ghana’s forest reserves from unsustainable exploitation. “However, it is crucial that the government, learning from this process, ensures full-circle consultation with civil society in future law-making on the sustainability of our natural resources, to avoid similar impasses,” he added.
Furthermore, he called for collective and continued oversight “not only to secure the full repeal of L.I. 2462 but to ensure that all illegal encroachments into forest reserves are swiftly addressed.”
