The government has entirely annulled the Legislative Instrument L.I. 2462, which empowered the President to permit mining within the country’s forest reserves.
This decision follows the enactment of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025, which became law on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, after being presented in Parliament by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
This action is part of the government’s renewed commitment to combat illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.
L.I. 2462, which permits mining operations in forest reserves, has been met with strong opposition from environmental activists and the general public due to its contribution to the detrimental impacts of illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
Numerous environmental and civil society organisations contended that L.I. 2462 facilitated access to forest reserves for industrial mining, thereby compromising forest conservation.
