Government revokes mining in forest reserves law LI 2462
The government has presented to Parliament an instrument to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations 2023 – LI 2462 – which regulated mining in forest reserves.
Repeal of this law was one of organised labour’s demands when it signalled its intention to embark on a nationwide strike over the negative impact of illegal mining (or “galamsey”) and presented a raft of demands to which the government acceded.
In a letter dated Thursday 10 October 2024, the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, presented the revocation instrument to the Clerk to Parliament to be laid in accordance with the 1992 constitution.
In accordance with Article 11(7) of the constitution, the new law – the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Revocation) Regulations 2024 – will come into effect after 21 sitting days in Parliament unless it is annulled by the votes of two-thirds of the members of Parliament.
Following a meeting between organised labour and the government on Tuesday (8 October), President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a letter dated 9 October addressed to the leaders of organised labour, outlined various measures to address their concerns about galamsey.
As part of the new measures, government announced the suspension of mining in forest reserves.
A communiqué from the presidency announced that: “The president has instructed the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to suspend the enforcement of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations 2023 (LI 2462) with immediate effect.”
