Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced that a new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2501 will soon be laid before Parliament to revoke the controversial L.I. 2462, which has drawn heavy criticism for permitting mining activities in Ghana’s forest reserves.
Dr. Ayine disclosed President John Mahama’s engagement with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the galamsey crisis on Friday, October 3. He noted that legal and regulatory reforms form a key part of government’s strategy to address illegal mining.
“In terms of the legal steps, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has underscored the fact that legal and regulatory reform is at the heart of what we are doing in order to change the narrative about illegal mining,” he explained.
The Attorney General observed that the current Minerals and Mining Act allows licences and leases to be issued across the country, including forest reserves, territorial waters, and exclusive economic zones.
To remedy this, he revealed that a new bill is being prepared to explicitly prohibit mining in forest reserves.
“One of the things we can do is to identify all the forest reserves and put them in a schedule attached to the bill, and make it categorically clear that no licence for mining activity, or lease for the conduct of mining, can be granted in respect of all the forest reserves listed in the statute,” Dr. Ayine stated.
He added that such provisions would make it politically difficult for any government to weaken these protections without parliamentary approval, thereby ensuring stronger environmental safeguards.
Dr. Ayine confirmed that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, working with his office, has completed work on L.I. 2501, which will be laid before Parliament on October 14, when the House reconvenes.
“The Minister and I have agreed that on the 14th of October, when Parliament resumes, we will lay that instrument to revoke the famous L.I. 2462. So, immediately it is laid, within 21 days it matures, and from that time onwards, we will not have L.I. 2462,” he emphasised.
Source: Adomonline
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