The government has tabled a bill before Parliament to scrap the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, which would effectively revoke the authority granted by two contentious laws.
The proposed revocation aims to strengthen the fight against the devastating practice of galamsey, a major environmental menace plaguing the country.
This move is part of a broader initiative to combat the scourge of illegal mining, which has been exacerbated by lax regulations. The Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology asserts that the repeal is crucial to the national strategy for tackling the issue. Key programs, such as the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), will continue to play a vital role in this effort.
The laws in question, particularly L.I. 2462, have been widely criticized for their role in enabling the destruction of forest reserves. Critics argue that these regulations provide a free pass for industrial mining in protected areas, undermining conservation efforts. The outcry from environmental activists and civil society groups has been fierce, with many condemning the laws for granting the Minister/President excessive discretionary powers to greenlight mining projects in sensitive ecosystems.
