President John Dramani Mahama has announced that his government is taking decisive and lawful steps to permanently ban mining in Ghana’s forest reserves.
Addressing the nation on the final day of his 120-day Social Contract, the President stated, “On March 20, 2025, LI 2462 was presented to Parliament to amend the Environmental Protection Regulations. This amendment removes the President’s power to grant approval for mining in forest reserves.”
He further disclosed plans to amend the Minerals and Mining Act, 2003 (Act 703), saying the new provisions will “meticulously, legally, and entirely ban mining in our forest reserves,” with Parliament expected to consider the changes upon resumption.
The announcement comes alongside progress on another major initiative—recommendations from the National Economic Dialogue, which Mahama says are already yielding results.
The dialogue, one of 25 flagship initiatives under his governance pact, provided a framework for homegrown fiscal reforms, including tax expansion, SOE accountability, and improved public financial management.
“This was not just talk,” Mahama emphasized, linking policy recommendations directly to current economic improvements.
