Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has announced that the government is preparing new legislation to ban all forms of mining in forest reserves and water bodies, as part of a renewed national effort to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
Speaking to the Ghanaian community in Belgium during her visit to the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, the Vice President raised alarm over the severe environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, particularly its impact on Ghana’s water sources, forests, and public safety.
“We are working towards banning mining in water bodies,” she said. “A bill is being drafted to overturn laws that currently permit such activities. The aim is to remove illegal operators from protected areas and resettle them where appropriate. What’s even more troubling is how some miners leave sites completely uncovered, putting nearby communities at serious risk.”
Her statement aligns with an earlier declaration by Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, who confirmed that a new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) will soon be presented to Parliament to repeal L.I. 2462, which presently allows mining in designated forest reserves.
In a related development, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, revealed that the government is currently reviewing approximately 2,167 mining licences issued between 2017 and 2025. He noted that many of these permits were granted to government officials and warned that anyone found complicit in illegal mining will be prosecuted.
The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring contaminated water bodies and reversing the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
