Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, has commended the government’s decision to revoke laws permitting mining in forest reserves, describing it as a bold and necessary step to protect Ghana’s natural ecosystems.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Friday, October 30, Mr. Bosu said the move sends a strong signal that the government is serious about ending environmentally destructive mining practices.
“It is very important that government sets an example by discouraging any irresponsible activity, particularly seeing that a lot of the miners now are running into our forest reserves and mining because they said if even the government can decide to make a law to say you can mine in forest reserves then why not us,” he said. “So I think it is a very strong message out there that the government won’t tolerate such habits anymore.”
Mr. Bosu noted that the decision aligns with long-standing calls from environmental groups for stronger policy action to halt the degradation of forest reserves, which serve as vital buffers against climate change, biodiversity loss, and water insecurity.
The government on Friday laid before Parliament the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025, which seeks to repeal L.I. 2501 — a regulation that limited the President’s authority to authorise mining in forest reserves — and to completely revoke L.I. 2462.
According to the Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the revocation forms part of renewed national efforts to combat illegal mining and restore degraded forest ecosystems.
Mr. Bosu welcomed this development, urging sustained enforcement and transparency in the implementation process. He stressed that beyond the revocation, the government must ensure that all mining activities in forest zones are stopped and that offenders are held accountable.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
