Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah
The Acting Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah , has initiated steps for the immediate revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 and its amended version, L.I. 2501, as part of renewed efforts to curb illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
In a formal communication to the Office of the Attorney-General, the Minister requested the legal overhaul to consolidate the regulatory framework governing mining activities under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the Minister, the EPA’s existing regime provides adequate guidelines to regulate mining operations and ensure strict compliance with environmental and social standards.
He stressed that a unified and robust regulatory system would help strengthen the country’s ability to safeguard water bodies, forest reserves, and other natural resources from the devastating impact of galamsey.
“This decisive legal action is designed to unify and strengthen the regulatory framework, creating a cohesive front for all stakeholders in the national fight against illegal mining,” Buah noted in his statement.
The government’s intensified measures against galamsey come amid mounting concerns over the destruction of river bodies, loss of biodiversity, and the long-term threat posed to Ghana’s environmental sustainability and food security.
