Ghana reverses controversial law that allowed mining in protected forest reserves following environmental campaign

Ghana has officially repealed a contentious 2022 law that would have opened the country’s protected forest reserves to mining activities, marking a significant victory for environmental advocates who fought against the legislation for over two years.

The Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument was introduced to Parliament in December by Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, effectively nullifying the presidential powers granted under Legislative Instrument 2462 (L.I. 2462). The original law had amended existing mining regulations to permit extraction activities in Ghana’s forest reserves, sparking immediate outcry from environmental groups who argued it undermined decades of conservation efforts and contradicted the country’s Forest Development Master Plan, which aims to eliminate mining in forest reserves by 2036.

The repeal comes after sustained pressure from a coalition of civil society organizations and environmental groups, who warned that L.I. 2462 exposed Ghana’s biodiversity-rich forest reserves to serious ecological damage. The controversy also became a key issue in Ghana’s 2024 general elections, with then-opposition leader John Dramani Mahama promising to repeal the law if elected. Mahama won the election and assumed office on January 7, 2025.

“This clearly must send a message that this government is committed to basically ensuring that we continue to protect our pristine forest reserves and our environment,” Minister Buah told the press, acknowledging that public outcry drove the government’s decision to reverse course. Environmental groups have praised the move as a major victory for forest protection and responsible environmental governance in Ghana.