The government has presented a new Legislative Instrument (LI) to Parliament with the objective of revoking previous regulations that permitted mining activities in these sensitive areas.
The LI named the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2024, seeks to overturn LI 2462.
LI 2462 had previously allowed mining in certain forest reserves, a situation that several organisations, advocates, and environmental groups opposed.
Organised Labour had also asked the government to revoke the LI as part of its conditions to call off its industrial action.
Majority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin announced the submission of the new LI during a parliamentary proceeding on October 15, 2024.
The Leader of Government Business noted that the new LI was developed by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, with technical backing from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General’s Department.
He added that the new instrument forms part of the efforts aimed at dealing with illegal mining activities.
He said, “This revocation is a clear demonstration of our commitment to addressing the illegal mining menace that has wreaked havoc on our environment.”
He said the action taken by the government would limit mining activities in the forest reserves, ensuring that only environmentally sustainable practices are permitted in line with Ghana’s long-term ecological goals.
“The challenge of illegal mining transcends political lines, and we cannot afford to undermine these efforts by making it a political football,” he stated.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana