• Ghana bans mining in forest reserves, reversing 2022 law
• Civil groups welcome repeal but urge strong enforcement, legal amendments
• Concerns persist over existing permits and major mining projects

Ghana’s Ministry of Environment announced last week a ban on mining activities in the country’s forest reserves, reversing a 2022 law that had allowed such activities under specific conditions.

The implementation of the ban has raised concerns among some environmental advocates, who are urging the government to ensure the measure is effectively enforced.

Several Ghanaian civil society organizations welcomed the repeal of the 2022 law in a statement released on Thursday, Dec. 18, saying the previous legislation had weakened protections for Ghana’s forest ecosystems.

They said the regulatory framework had opened up 89% of forest reserves to mining, adding that more than 50 of the country’s 288 reserves are now considered seriously threatened by mining interests.

“This revocation should translate into a renewed commitment to forge new partnerships and collaborations to ensure that Ghana’s vital forest ecosystems not only exist on paper but thrive for the benefit of all,” the organizations said.

The signatories, including local branches of Oxfam and A Rocha, are now calling on President John Dramani Mahama to amend a 2006 law to explicitly prohibit mining in forest reserves.

Wisdom Gomashie, a former aide to the mines minister and a current opposition figure, said the repeal of the 2022 law was not accompanied by amendments to the main mining legislation. He noted that mining permits granted as early as 2005 in forest reserves involve companies that remain active. The government has not yet responded to the statements.

While environmental considerations are significant, authorities must also weigh economic interests. Large mining projects operate in forest reserves, including the bauxite project in the Atewa Forest, which is estimated to contain at least 150 million tons of reserves.

The coming months will determine whether the ban is strictly enforced or whether exemptions are granted to projects deemed strategic.