A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) working on environmental protection has commended the Government of Ghana and Parliament for the revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, describing the move as a major victory for forest conservation and sustainable development.
In a joint statement issued in Accra, the coalition expressed profound gratitude to government for annulling the regulation, which it said had exposed Ghana’s forest reserves – including Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas — to extensive mining risks.
The groups attributed the revocation to sustained advocacy and decisive action by the Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who on October 31, 2025, laid a new Legislative Instrument before Parliament to annul L.I. 2462.
Parliament completed the constitutionally required 21 sitting days without objections, leading to the automatic revocation of the instrument. The coalition also praised the media and the general public for their role in amplifying calls for the repeal, particularly Ghanaians who signed petitions demanding action.
“Together, we have contributed our quota to give forests and future generations a chance,” the statement said.
According to the coalition, the repeal represents one of the most significant legislative reversals in Ghana’s recent environmental history and a decisive step toward restoring the integrity of the country’s rapidly depleting forest estate.
The CSOs argued that since its introduction in 2022, L.I. 2462 undermined sustainable forest management, conflicted with Ghana’s Forest Development Master Plan (2016–2036), which seeks to phase out mining in forest reserves by 2036, and weakened Ghana’s alignment with international environmental commitments, including the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Providing data to justify the repeal, the coalition noted that before 2022, only two per cent of gazetted production forest areas were opened to mining, with 98 per cent protected.
Under L.I. 2462, however, about 89 per cent of forest reserves became exposed to mining, placing more than 50 of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves under severe pressure. Even after amendments made in 2025, the groups said about 80 per cent of forest reserves remained at risk.
The coalition stressed that forests are critical for clean water supply, biodiversity conservation, climate regulation and livelihoods, and safeguarding them should be a national priority.
While welcoming the revocation, the groups cautioned that Ghana’s forests continue to face serious threats from illegal mining, logging and poaching.
They cited comments by the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission acknowledging improvements in forest protection compared to last year, but admitting that significant challenges remain.
As a way forward, the coalition 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 of a National Forest Protection Strategy, stronger action against illegal activities in forests, effective implementation of the “Tree for Life” programme, and urgent capacity enhancement for the Forestry Commission.
The coalition further appealed to government to act on recommendations issued by the Forestry Commission on December 15, 2025, particularly those aimed at addressing emerging threats to forest sustainability.
“The repeal of L.I. 2462 marks a pivotal turn. To secure Ghana’s natural heritage and a sustainable future, action must now follow commitment,” the statement said, adding that civil society groups would continue to mobilise and hold leadership accountable.
The statement was signed by 17 organisations, including the Coalition Against Galamsey –Ghana, A Rocha Ghana, Kasa Initiative Ghana, Oxfam, Wacam, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Institute of Foresters and the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana.
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