Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister-Designate for Lands and Natural Resources, has vowed to amend Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 to ensure mining in forest reserves becomes a thing of the past.
Speaking before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 27, Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah pledged to enact stringent policies to protect Ghana’s environment and natural resources.
“There will be no new mining in forest reserves. LI 2462 will be amended to make sure there will be no mining in reserves,” he declared emphatically.
In addition to announcing a legislative overhaul, Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah promised a “holistic review” of unlawfully acquired mining licenses to root out irregularities in the sector.
The Minister-Designate did not shy away from criticizing the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration’s efforts to combat illegal mining, widely known as ‘galamsey.’ He described their fight as a failure, despite initial efforts that included a temporary ban on mining activities.
“It’s true the NPP administration started very well—there was a ban on mining for six months, later extended to nine months,” he acknowledged.
However, he added, “At the end of the 8 years, the outcome is what we all know—degraded lands, polluted water bodies, and wanton destruction of forest reserves. These are clearly facts that indicate that the fight against galamsey was a failure.”
Calling illegal mining activities that destroy water bodies and forest reserves “unacceptable,” Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah underscored his commitment to reversing the environmental damage. He assured Ghanaians of a more effective approach to addressing the menace.
“This is a national crisis. We cannot allow this level of destruction to continue,” he said, promising decisive action and sustainable solutions to safeguard the country’s environment.
