The government has officially initiated the process to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Instrument, known as LI 2462, which regulated mining activities in forest reserves.
This action responds to demands from Organized Labour, which had threatened a nationwide strike on October 10 due to the detrimental effects of illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, on the environment.
The revocation of LI 2462 represents a significant step towards addressing environmental concerns raised by labor unions and other stakeholders throughout Ghana.
The revocation process began on Thursday, October 10, 2024, when Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame formally presented the revocation instrument to the Clerk of Parliament.
This presentation is a crucial step in the legislative process, allowing Parliament to debate and potentially endorse the government’s decision to revoke LI 2462, as outlined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
According to Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution, any legislative instrument, including the one governing mining in forest reserves, must be presented to Parliament for 21 sitting days.
During this period, Members of Parliament can review and discuss the instrument. Unless two-thirds of MPs vote to annul it, the revocation will automatically take effect after this period, officially ending the enforcement of LI 2462.
