Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has announced that government is drafting new legislation to completely ban mining activities in Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves.
Speaking to members of the Ghanaian community in Belgium during her visit to the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, the Vice President described illegal mining—commonly known as galamsey—as a national emergency threatening the country’s rivers, forests, and livelihoods.
According to her, the proposed law will amend existing regulations that currently permit mining in protected zones and will introduce stricter measures to hold offenders accountable.
“We are working towards banning mining in water bodies. A bill is being prepared to reverse what you saw and to ensure that people operating in those areas are relocated and properly managed,” she explained.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also criticised the environmental destruction caused by abandoned mining sites, stressing that uncovered pits and degraded lands pose serious safety and ecological risks.
Her comments align with recent remarks by Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, who disclosed that a new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) will soon be laid before Parliament to repeal L.I. 2462, the regulation that currently allows mining in forest reserves.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, revealed that government is reviewing over 2,100 mining licences issued between 2017 and 2024—many allegedly granted to politically connected individuals.
He said all persons found to have engaged in illegal mining will face prosecution, emphasizing that the government’s goal is to restore Ghana’s polluted rivers and water bodies to their natural state.
Source: Adomonline
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