The incumbent government has successfully presented before Parliament the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) aimed at revoking the President’s authority to grant mining licenses in forest reserves at a time when the government has renewed the fight against illegal mining also known as galamsey.

This follows an earlier attempt to introduce the L.I. on Tuesday, which was delayed due to procedural disagreements between the Majority and Minority caucuses.

Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, was initially expected to present the instrument. However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin insisted that it undergo a mandatory pre-laying process before being formally tabled in the House. Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, on the other hand, argued that the amendment was a straightforward, one-clause revision that had already secured consensus.

After intense deliberations, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor ruled that the instrument must be subjected to a three-day pre-laying process. He subsequently tasked the Subsidiary Legislation Committee to review the L.I. and submit its report by Thursday, March 20.

With the committee’s review now completed, the L.I. was successfully laid before Parliament yesterday.

Presenting the instrument on behalf of the Environment Minister, Minister for Local Government Ahmed Ibrahim assured the House that the government had taken public concerns into account. "The revocation will go a long way to help the image of the house," he noted.

Meanwhile, Patrick Boamah, Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, reaffirmed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) support for the policy change, stating that there was no opposition from the Majority side.

"This side of the house is not opposed to the revocation of this instrument," he said.

Once laid, the L.I. will mature after 21 parliamentary sitting days before taking full effect.

L.I. 2462, originally enacted in November 2022 under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, granted the President the authority to issue mining licenses in forest reserves. During his tenure, over 2,100 mining-related permits were issued, including a notable surge of 318 licenses in his final week in office. The law faced widespread criticism for facilitating environmental degradation and worsening the illegal mining crisis.

The introduction of the new L.I. comes amid Ghana’s ongoing battle against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. The practice has resulted in severe pollution of water bodies, destruction of forested lands, and a decline in cash crop production, particularly cocoa and cashew.

If passed, the new legislation will mark a significant step toward addressing the environmental damage caused by mining activities, ensuring greater oversight and accountability in the sector.