Gov’t moves to ban mining in forest reserves, lays new L.I. in parliament

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, has laid a new legislative instrument (L.I. 2505) before Parliament to prevent mining activities in forest reserves.

The instrument, titled the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Revocation Instrument, 2025), will come into force after 21 sitting days. Once it matures, it will revoke L.I. 2462, which was enacted in 2022 to ensure that environmental management principles were legally enforced in mining operations within forest reserves.

Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, October 30, Mr Kofi-Buah explained that the latest move follows sustained public outcry over provisions in the earlier regulation.

“Obviously, that led to the new L.I. 2505, which entered into force on June 2, 2025,” he said, referring to previous amendments that had sought to limit the powers of the President to permit mining in forest reserves.

The minister added that after consultations and reviews with environmental experts, the government concluded that the 2022 regulation should be entirely revoked.

“In the light of continued public outcry, as a listening government and after complete consultation and review with experts, it had become clear that we could completely revoke that L.I. 2462 and use the guidelines that were enacted in 2020,” he stated.

Mr Kofi-Buah said the revocation demonstrates the government’s renewed commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources.

“So that is effectively what I have done today, and it clearly must send a message that this government is committed to basically ensuring that we continue to protect our pristine forest reserves and our environment,” he said.

He further emphasized that the administration is determined to prove to Ghanaians that it is serious about safeguarding the environment, forests, and water bodies.