Government will revoke the controversial 2462(LI) 2462 that permitted mining activities in forest reserves, as part of sweeping reforms to curb illegal mining, Attorney General Dominic Akuritinga Ayine has announced.
Mr. Ayine told civil society organisations at a meeting with President John Dramani Mahama that a new instrument, LI 2505, has been prepared in his office and will be laid before Parliament on October 14.
“The Minister and I have agreed that on the 14th of October, when Parliament resumes, we’ll lay that instrument to revoke the famous LI 2462, which is to tamper with our forest. So immediately it is laid within 21 days, it matures, and from that time onwards, we will not have LI 2462,” he said.
The Attorney General stressed that the government’s review of the Minerals and Mining Act would also introduce a clear ban on mining in forest reserves. “For instance, in respect of mining and forest reserves, we will put a provision in the statute… that will prohibit mining in forest reserves completely,” he noted.
Mr. Ayine added that all forest reserves will be attached to the new statute, requiring parliamentary approval for any future changes. “That means that at any point in time that the law… has to change, they have to go back to Parliament and then review the law, which makes it politically more difficult,” he explained.
On prosecutions, the Attorney General reported that security agencies have made 1,400 arrests but face challenges with courts granting bail. He said 65 dockets are active, covering about 600 accused persons.
He also disclosed that the Akonta Mining case involving “Chairman Wontumi and five others” is set for prosecution after the police handed the docket to his office two months ago.
To expedite trials, Ayine said the Chief Justice has agreed to assign specialised courts to illegal mining cases, while a new Public Tribunal Bill will be sent to Parliament on a certificate of urgency.
“If by December the tribunals are in place, most of the circuit tribunals will be given exclusive jurisdiction to deal with mining cases… We will insist that every mining case should end within six months,” he said.
“Law enforcement [and] regulatory reform is at the heart of what we are doing, and we will not spare any person in terms of accountability for their destruction of the environment,” Mr. Ayine added.
