The CEO of Dalex Finance, Mr. Joe Jackson, has emphasized the urgent need to put an end to illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey. He argues that galamsey has caused significant damage to water bodies and the environment. In a post on his X page, he urged, “Arise, Ghana youth for your country … Let’s stop galamsey now. It has done enough damage to your water, health, and economy.”
Similarly, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, the Convenor of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, expressed that anti-galamsey campaigners are calling on President John Dramani Mahama to declare a state of emergency. He pointed out that galamsey is leading to widespread destruction of water bodies and forests, posing a serious threat to lives. “We still demand that the President declare a state of emergency because there are over 7,000 excavators out there causing mass destruction to water bodies and forest reserves,” he stated during an interview on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, September 20.
For his part, a Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu agreed with the position taken by President John Dramani Mahama on the call to declare a state of emergency in the areas affected by illegal mining . He wondered what exactly a state of emergency would do to the problem that cannot be addressed in the absence of a state of emergency.
“What is it that we can’t do now, but only a state of emergency will allow us to do? A declaration of a state of emergency is a paper; it is not a magic wand. You will still need the police to enforce it,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, September 20. He added, “Under the law, currently, the Police can help; they are allowed to go and stop the galamseyer, and the president says that after that they [Police] will have a prominent presence in the forest.”
President John Dramani Mahama has said that he has been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because they have not exhausted the powers to tackle illegal mining. He said this at the media encounter in Accra on Wednesday, September 10. “I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency,” he explained.
He stressed that government agencies already have the mandate to arrest offenders, seize equipment, and enforce forest protection laws. “We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act,” he said. President Mahama further stated that since assuming office, his government has not issued any license to allow mining in the country’s forest reserves.
He said plans are underway to repeal L.I. 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves. “Steps are currently underway to repeal L.I. 2462 to formalize our commitment to end mining in forest reserves. Let me be clear, since my administration resumed office not a single license has been issued to any company to mine in our forest reserves,” the President stated.
According to the President, the repeal of L.I.2462 is will demonstrate in practice his government’s commitment to protect these forest reserves. The Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP), has officially written to the Office of the Attorney General for the immediate revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 and its amended version, L.I. 2501.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Ministry on August 29, 2025 and signed by Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia. The statement noted that this legal action is designed to unify and strengthen the regulatory framework, creating a cohesive front for all stakeholders in the national fight against illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey.’
The move aims to end the severe environmental devastation that has polluted Ghana’s water bodies and degraded its forest reserves. The Minister expressed confidence that the existing regulatory regime, under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides robust and sufficient guidelines to oversee all mining activities.
This consolidated framework will ensure strict compliance with environmental and social standards, guaranteeing responsible mining practices across the sector. The move directly complements on-the-ground efforts such as the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) and the operational coordination of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
L.I. 2462 was enacted to regulate the environmental aspects of mining in forest reserves, deriving its authority from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act. It established a system for granting mining licenses and environmental permits within forest reserves, with specific conditions to mitigate damage.
The regulations prohibited mining in certain sensitive ecological and cultural sites, including “Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas” (GSBAs). However, they granted the President the authority to approve mining in these restricted areas if it was deemed to be in the “national interest.” This Legislative Instrument faced immediate and widespread backlash from civil society organizations, environmental activists, and concerned citizens. Critics argued that it has led to increased environmental destruction and failed to adequately protect the forest reserves.
In October 2024, the then Attorney General initiated the process to revoke Legislative Instrument 2462 by presenting a new legislative instrument to Parliament. This new instrument, titled the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Revocation) Instrument, 2024, aimed to make all mining in forest reserves illegal.
Source: Laud Nartey
