A broad coalition of 17 civil society organisations (CSOs), including the Coalition Against Galamsey-Ghana, A Rocha Ghana, and the Christian Council of Ghana, has officially commended the Government and Parliament for the successful revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462.
In a press statement released on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the groups described the repeal as one of the most significant legislative reversals in Ghana’s recent environmental history, effectively closing a loophole that had placed the nation’s forest reserves under unprecedented siege.
A Decisive Move for Environmental Integrity
The revocation follows months of advocacy and a strategic legislative move by the acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
On October 31, the minister laid a new Legislative Instrument before Parliament intended to annul L.I. 2462.
Having completed the constitutionally required 21 sitting days without intervention, the revocation is now fully effective.
“Together, we have contributed our quota to give forests and future generations a chance,” the coalition stated, extending particular appreciation to the media and the thousands of Ghanaians who signed petitions against the regulation.
The Legacy of L.I. 2462: A System Under Siege
The coalition highlighted the staggering risks that L.I. 2462 posed to Ghana’s natural heritage since its introduction in 2022:
- Massive Exposure: Before 2022, only 2% of gazetted production forest areas were open to mining; under L.I. 2462, this exploded to 89%.
- Reserves Under Attack: Over 50 out of 288 forest reserves were reported to be “seriously under siege” from mining interests due to the regulation.
- Global Commitments: The regulation was noted for undermining Ghana’s Forest Development Master Plan and weakening the country’s alignment with international climate pacts like the Paris Agreement.
Five Critical Recommendations for the Future
While celebrating the victory, the coalition warned that Ghana’s forests still face “unprecedented pressure” from illegal logging, poaching, and artisanal mining. They have proposed five key actions for the government to secure a sustainable future:
- Permanent Mining Prohibition: The coalition urged H.E. John Dramani Mahama to fulfil promises to review Act 703, explicitly prohibiting mining in all forest reserves.
- National Forest Protection Strategy: A call for a new strategy developed in partnership with international bodies to grow back Ghana’s lost cover.
- Combating Encroachment: Urgent action is needed to address chronic artisanal mining and illegal logging that continue despite the revocation.
- “Tree for Life” Implementation: Ensuring the restoration program for forest reserves is well-coordinated and results-driven rather than “serving as rhetoric”.
- Boosting Capacity: Upgrading the capacity of the Forestry Commission to handle modern threats and implementing their way-forward proposals published on December 15, 2025.
The coalition concluded by reaffirming its commitment to holding leadership accountable to ensure that every future policy reflects the nation’s “urgent environmental, social, and climate priorities”.