Three Members of Parliament (MPs) from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have introduced a Private Members’ Bill aimed at repealing Section 3(2) of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022 (L.I. 2462) which grants the President authority to issue mining leases for exploration within forest reserves in Ghana.

The Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu and North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa submitted the bill in a formal memo to the Clerk of Parliament on Tuesday, October 22.

The MPs argued that as lawmakers, they bear a greater responsibility to ensure the right of Ghanaians to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

They emphasised that their duty includes holding the Executive in check and crafting laws and policies that protect public health, ecosystems, and the environment.

They also noted that the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) had earlier expressed dismay and disbelief at the passage of L.I. 2462, which facilitated mining in forest reserves.

The legislators noted that this regulation has resulted in significant environmental degradation along with adverse health, economic, and social consequences.

• Read also: Government to present new Legislative Instrument to limit mining in Forest Reserves

“Hence, it is in view of the above, and considering that Parliament passed this all-important and consequential L.I. 2462, which among others, grants His Excellency the President, the authority to issue mining leases for exploration in forest reserves, the impact of which has brought so much environmental degradation, as well as health, economic, and social devastation to our country, that we by this proposed Bill, seek to repeal Section 3(2) of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022 (L.I. 2462), which grants the President the authority to issue mining leases for exploration in forest reserves in Ghana,” the MPs said.

Meanwhile, the government announced plans to present a new L.I. to Parliament aimed at revoking previous regulations that permitted mining activities in these sensitive areas.

This new instrument aims to eliminate legal provisions that previously permitted mining activities in forest reserves, signaling the government’s renewed commitment to environmental conservation.

• Read also: Gov’t agrees to revoke L.I. 2462 to halt mining in forest reserves – Ghana Federation of Labour claims

The Effutu MP and Leader of Government Business, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, revealed this during a parliamentary session on October 15.

He explained that the new instrument was developed by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), with technical support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General’s Department.

The new regulation forms part of the government’s broader strategy to tackle illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, which has caused extensive damage to forest reserves, water bodies, and agricultural lands across the country.