Awula Serwaa, Coordinator of Eco Conscious Citizen, has called on the government to adequately resource the Forestry Commission to effectively combat illegal mining, following the repeal of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, December 12, she welcomed the repeal but questioned the delay in revoking the law, urging both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the New Democratic Congress (NDC) to avoid politicising the fight against galamsey.
“Why has it taken so long to repeal L.I. 2462 while, when in opposition, it was being touted that we would repeal it? But we are grateful. All the L.I. is doing now is protecting our forest reserves,” she said.
She stressed that repealing the law alone is insufficient and underscored the need to strengthen the Forestry Commission to safeguard the nation’s forests.
“We need to strengthen the Forestry Commission so that the guards are well equipped and can protect our forest reserves. This is not the time to be doing NPP and NDC matters—both have failed Ghanaians when it comes to the environment,” she added.
The Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025, which nullifies L.I. 2462, became law on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, after being laid in Parliament by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
L.I. 2462 had faced widespread criticism for enabling mining in forest reserves and worsening the destructive effects of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
