A coalition of civil society organisations has commended the Government of Ghana and Parliament for the revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, describing the move as a major step toward safeguarding the country’s forest reserves and biodiversity.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, the groups expressed appreciation to government for annulling the regulation, which had allowed mining activities within forest reserves, including Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas. They noted that the repeal marks one of the most progressive environmental policy reversals in Ghana’s recent history.
The revocation follows the laying of a new Legislative Instrument by the Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, on October 31, 2025. Parliament completed the constitutionally required 21 sitting days without objection, effectively nullifying L.I. 2462.
The coalition also acknowledged the role of the media, civil society groups, and citizens who supported advocacy efforts, including the nationwide petition that called for the repeal of the regulation. According to the groups, the collective action has helped protect Ghana’s forests for present and future generations.
L.I. 2462, introduced in 2022, was widely criticised for undermining sustainable forest management practices and contradicting Ghana’s Forest Development Master Plan (2016–2036), which seeks to phase out mining in forest reserves by 2036. The regulation was also said to have weakened Ghana’s commitments under international environmental agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Data cited by the coalition showed that before 2022, only two percent of gazetted production forest areas were opened to limited mining activities, while 98 percent remained protected. Under L.I. 2462, however, nearly 89 percent of forest reserves were exposed to mining, placing more than 50 out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves under severe pressure. Even after amendments made in 2025, about 80 percent of forest reserves remained at risk.
While welcoming the repeal, the coalition cautioned that Ghana’s forests continue to face threats from illegal mining, logging, poaching, and encroachment. They stressed the need for urgent and sustained action to ensure forest ecosystems are not only protected by law but restored and managed effectively.
Among their key recommendations, the groups urged President John Dramani Mahama to fulfil a pledge to review Act 703 to explicitly prohibit mining in forest reserves. They also called for the development and implementation of a National Forest Protection Strategy, stronger enforcement against illegal activities, and effective coordination of the government’s “Tree for Life” programme to ensure meaningful forest restoration.
Additionally, the coalition appealed to government to implement recommendations issued by the Forestry Commission on December 15, 2025, particularly those aimed at strengthening the Commission’s capacity to address emerging threats to forest sustainability.
The groups reaffirmed their commitment to continued advocacy and accountability, stressing that the repeal of L.I. 2462 must be followed by concrete actions to secure Ghana’s natural heritage and promote a sustainable environmental future.
Read Below The Press Statement:
