In a significant legal and environmental policy shift, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has announced that a new Legislative Instrument will be presented to Parliament on October 14, 2025, to revoke the controversial LI 2462, which has permitted mining activities within Ghana’s protected forest reserves. The disclosure, made during a stakeholder dialogue between President John Dramani Mahama and civil society organizations in Accra, marks a pivotal step in the government’s intensified campaign against illegal mining.
Dr. Ayine confirmed that the new instrument, LI 2501, will mature 21 days after being laid before Parliament, effectively nullifying its predecessor, which has faced widespread condemnation from environmental advocates and the public for enabling ecological destruction. The Attorney General identified a critical loophole in the existing Minerals and Mining Act, which grants authorities the power to issue mining leases in ecologically sensitive zones, including forest reserves, thereby facilitating the degradation of vital habitats.
To permanently address this vulnerability, the government is preparing complementary legislation that will impose a comprehensive ban on all mining activities within forest reserves. This proposed bill will include a specific schedule naming every protected forest area, a measure designed to fortify environmental safeguards and prevent future administrations from diluting protections without parliamentary scrutiny.
“This measure is intended to ensure that environmental protections are not easily reversed,” Dr. Ayine stated, emphasizing the reform’s role in preserving Ghana’s natural heritage for future generations. The announcement aligns with President Mahama’s reiterated commitment to deploying robust legal and regulatory frameworks as the cornerstone of his administration’s strategy to combat the scourge of galamsey, which continues to devastate rivers, farmlands, and public health across the nation.
