Former Power Minister and Member of Parliament for Pru East, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has welcomed the effort of the government to repeal the legislative instrument that gave the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources the power to permit mining in forest reserves.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor says he wholeheartedly believes the move is “a step in the right direction.”
In an exclusive interview with The High Street Journal, Dr. Donkor said the decision aligns with sound environmental policy and long-term sustainability goals.
“I am also happy that the legislative instrument that gives the right to the minister to permit mining in forest reserves is being repealed. That is a step in the right direction in terms of policy,” he remarked.
However, he cautioned that the conversation about mining in forest reserves should not be treated as black and white.
According to him, while such mining should be largely prohibited, there are “limited exceptional cases” where large-scale mining can be permitted without compromising the country’s forest resources.
Small-Scale Mining Must Be Restricted
Dr. Donkor was clear that small-scale mining, even when licensed, should have no place in forest reserves.
He explains that small-scale mining, due to its destructive nature and the limited capacity of operators to restore degraded land, must be outrightly banned from operating in forest reserves.
Dr. Donkor emphasizes that small-scale miners lack the financial muscle and technical expertise to undertake land restoration compared to large-scale miners.
“When it comes to small-scale mining, even legal mining, let alone small-scale legal mining, they don’t have the resources to sustainably mine in forest reserves. And so the state must ensure that there’s no small-scale mining in forest reserves,” he noted.
The Case for Large-Scale Mining and Forest Reserves
Dr. Kwabena Donkor pointed out that prior to the LI, mining in forest reserves wasn’t a new phenomenon in the country.
Citing Newmont Ahafo mining in a forest reserve as an example, he explained that responsible large-scale mining firms have demonstrated that, with strict oversight, mining in forest reserves can be managed sustainably.
He therefore drew a sharp contrast between small-scale miners and large-scale mining firms, pointing out that some multinational companies have mined responsibly in forest reserves because they possess the expertise, technology, and funds to minimize environmental damage.
‘Let’s get this clear. Mining in forest reserves is not a new phenomenon. It’s been around, but that has been limited to large-scale mining firms that have the resources to sustainably mine in these reserves. If you take Newmont Ahafo, they’ve mined in forest reserves,’ he argued.
He added, “With large-scale mining, they have the capacity to spend millions of dollars in reclamation, in reforestation, among others.”
Regulations Under Exceptional Cases
In the exceptional event that the state must grant a license to a large-scale mining firm to operate in a forest reserve, Dr. Donkor insists that the regulations must be top-notch.
He emphasized that such operations must adhere to world-class standards, where reclamation and replanting are not afterthoughts but integral parts of mining plans. The former minister insists that the regulator, the Minerals Commission, must be empowered with the resources and the skills to be able to effectively monitor large-scale mining conducted in forest reserves.
“In the exceptional circumstance, and I place emphasis on exceptional, in the exceptional circumstance where large-scale mining is to be tolerated in forest reserves, the measures to ensure sustainable mining must be world-class,” he stressed.
Dr. Donkor described the issue as a delicate balancing act between economic benefits and environmental protection.
While Ghana needs the revenue and jobs that come with mining, he said the country must not sacrifice its forests in pursuit of short-term gains.
The Bottomline
For Dr. Donkor, the path forward lies in setting clear boundaries and enforcing them.
He believes that Ghana’s environmental regulators must be empowered and resourced to enforce strict compliance so that mining, if allowed at all in forest reserves, benefits both the economy and the ecosystem.
