Government Of Ghana Ready To Repeal L.I 2462 -

Environment Minister Dr. Murtala Mohammed

Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, also referred to as the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022, is being actively repealed by the Government of Ghana. The public, civil society, and environmental organizations have all strongly criticized this rule, which allowed mining operations in forest areas.

L.I. 2462, which was passed in November 2022 and went into effect in June 2023, permitted mining in protected forest reserves, including Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs), as well as production areas. Critics contend that this law threatened biodiversity, water security, and rural livelihoods, undermining Ghana’s environmental obligations.

Environment Minister Dr. Murtala Mohammed affirmed in March 2025 that the administration is working to repeal L.I. 2462, with the goal of finishing the repeal within the 120-day period that President John Mahama had pledged.

In order to ensure prompt action, the repeal process has been accelerated by avoiding the pre-laying step in Parliament.

Environmental groups like A Rocha Ghana have been outspoken in their criticism of L.I. 2462, highlighting the law’s negative effects on forest preservation and demanding its total repeal as opposed to only changes.

On April 22, 2025, Earth Day, the Democracy Hub also coordinated an online demonstration calling for the complete repeal of the rule.

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Although the government has started the process of repealing L.I. 2462, some officials contend that this may not be enough to stop mining in forest reserves.

Former Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor issued a warning, stating that further legislative actions might be required to completely safeguard forest reserves because the President of Ghana retains the power to grant mining rights under the country’s Constitution.

An important milestone in Ghana’s attempts to strike a balance between resource management and environmental preservation is the repeal of L.I. 2462. To guarantee the long-term preservation of the country’s forest reserves, stakeholders are still pushing for comprehensive policies.