A heated debate erupted in Parliament today over the laying of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which seeks to repeal the President’s power to grant permission for mining in forest reserves.
The Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, was set to lay the instrument before the House, but the process was halted following disagreements between the Majority and Minority caucuses over procedural requirements.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin argued that the L.I. must undergo a pre-laying process before being formally laid before Parliament.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga countered the position of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, stating that the L.I. is a straightforward, one-clause instrument that has already garnered consensus.
He argued that it was a major promise of President John Dramani Mahama and the government, and today, they are seeing its implementation aimed at dealing with the issue of galamsey in forest reserves.
