Acting Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has officially urged the Attorney General to fast-track the revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which regulates mining activities in forest reserves.
L.I. 2462, which allowed mining in forest reserves, has been a subject of controversy due to environmental concerns and calls for its repeal. Under the Minerals and Mining Act, this legislation permitted mining activities, including small-scale mining, in previously protected forest areas. It also granted the President the authority to issue mining licenses in forest reserves.
In a statement released on social media by the Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, Minister Buah’s request for the revocation of L.I. 2462 is in line with the government’s commitment to addressing environmental issues and safeguarding Ghana’s forest reserves. Environmental groups and stakeholders have criticized the legislation for enabling unsustainable mining practices in protected areas.
The revocation of L.I. 2462 aims to strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) oversight and regulation of activities within forest reserves. Minister Buah’s call for the repeal demonstrates the government’s dedication to sustainable environmental management and the preservation of Ghana’s natural resources.
If the new legislation is approved, it would eliminate the President’s power to grant mining licenses in forest reserves, a crucial step in combating illegal small-scale mining.
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