Mining in forest reserves banned as government revokes L.I. 2462

The government has formally revoked Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, ending the legal framework that allowed the President to authorise mining activities within Ghana’s forest reserves.

The repeal took effect after the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025, matured into law on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, following its successful laying before Parliament by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.

With the revocation now in force, all permissions granted under L.I. 2462 to mine in protected forest areas have been nullified.

The decision marks a significant policy shift and signals a renewed government commitment to tackling illegal mining, widely known as galamsey, which has caused extensive environmental destruction across the country.

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Forest degradation, polluted water bodies and the loss of biodiversity have all been linked to mining activities operating under weak enforcement and regulatory loopholes.

L.I. 2462 had been the subject of sustained public backlash since its introduction.

Environmental activists, civil society organisations and concerned citizens repeatedly warned that the instrument weakened existing protections and effectively opened forest reserves to large-scale mining operations.

Critics argued that the law blurred the line between regulated industrial mining and illegal operations, making enforcement difficult and accelerating environmental damage.

By revoking the instrument, the government appears to be responding to years of pressure from environmental groups who maintained that forest reserves should remain strictly protected for ecological sustainability and future generations.

Officials say the move will strengthen conservation efforts and restore confidence in the state’s commitment to protecting natural resources, as the broader fight against galamsey intensifies nationwide.

Read the statement below:



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