The Chairman of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Bernard Owusu, has once again pressed the government to rescind Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which permits mining activities within Ghana’s forest reserves.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Thursday, 1st May, Mr Owusu insisted that merely amending the law would not be sufficient to address the environmental concerns it has raised.

“We are still asking government to go to Parliament to revoke that L.I. We’ve heard that government is trying to amend it, but that is not what we demanded for, and we are asking that the L.I. should be revoked,” he asserted, urging swift and resolute action.

The legislation, L.I. 2462, has drawn sharp criticism from environmental campaigners and sections of the public who argue that it contributes to the worsening environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.

Meanwhile, there are indications that the contentious Legislative Instrument is set to be repealed when Parliament reconvenes from its current recess, signalling a potential shift in policy following sustained public pressure.