The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has explained why government moved to revoke new mining licenses in Ghana’s forest reserves.

 It follows the Lands Minister announcing a revocation of all mining licenses granted after the 2024 elections.

In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, March 22, he said it is to ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) retains its authority to regulate and monitor existing operations.

According to the Lands Minister, the government is taking concrete steps to prevent further degradation of forest reserves while reinforcing the EPA’s supervisory role.

Read also: Lands Minister revokes all small-scale mining licences issued after December 7, 2024

He highlighted that within 21 days, a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 would be passed into law, formally removing the President’s discretionary power to approve mining in forest reserves.

"The original proposal was to completely revoke the LI, but we have refined it to ensure that the EPA maintains its authority to enter forest reserves, monitor activities, and enforce environmental compliance. If we repealed the entire Act, the EPA would lose this power, which is why stopping new mining licenses is critical," the minister explained.

By halting new licenses and focusing on monitoring existing operations, the government aims to curb illegal activities and ensure mining companies adhere to environmental regulations, he added.

The minister further hinted that the government may not extend existing mining leases once they expire, reinforcing Ghana’s commitment to sustainable environmental management.

Read also: Mining licenses issued from Dec. 7 were rushed, lacked due diligence – Lands Minister