Withdraw all licences granted for prospecting and mining in forest reserves – GIF to Akufo-Addo

The Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) has demanded that President Nana Akufo-Addo immediately withdraws all licenses granted for prospecting and mining in Ghana’s forest reserves.

The GIF in a statement said the government’s decision to allow mining in the country’s forest reserves defeats the wisdom behind their reservation.

The umbrella body of forestry experts has, therefore, called for “the withdrawal of all licenses granted for prospecting and mining in forests and protected reserves (including GSBAs) and around water bodies.”

The GIF’s demand comes after The Fourth Estate’s recent investigations revealed that officials of the New Patriotic Party and government appointees have been granted concessions to mine and prospect in forest reserves.

But the GIF wants this to stop. Among other things, it is also demanding the repeal and revocation of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forests Reserves) Regulation, also known as LI 2462, and Executive Instrument (EI) 234. Whereas EI 234 de-gazetted about one-third of the Achimota Forest Reserve, LI 2462 gives the President the power to allow mining in Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs).  

According to the GIF, the government’s decision to de-gazette portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve sets a bad precedent for the protection of Ghana’s forest estate: “The government should desist from setting bad precedence for de-reserving reserved lands.”

Since LI 2462 came into force in November 2022, many environmental groups have expressed grave concerns about its ramifications.

“Though presented as seeking to regulate mining in forest reserves, LI  2462 has opened the floodgates for institutionalized mining in our forest reserves,” GIF’s statement bemoaned.

Many environmentalists have complained bitterly about how the government pushed for such a law in Parliament without any consultation. The GIF affirmed this in its statement by indicating that it was “completely left in the dark throughout the processes leading [to] the passage of L.I. 2462.”

According to the foresters, it was a “bigger shock” when they finally got to know about the law as it “legally permits unlimited mining in forest reserves. Not even the ecologically sensitive Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas have been spared.”

Before LI 2462, an administrative framework for mining called the Environmental Guideline for Mining in Production Forest Reserves permitted limited mining of not more than 2% of timber production reserves.

To give the guideline the legal teeth to bite its offenders, stakeholders called for a total ban on mining in forest reserves and the enactment of a law to protect these reserves.

However, LI  2462, which was supposed to fill this gap, appears to have incentivised some government appointees to apply for license to mine in Ghana’s forest reserves.

The Fourth Estate’s investigations revealed that as of August 13, 2024, at least 25 companies had filed 32 applications to mine and prospect in 24 forest reserves. Ten of these mining leases have been granted by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, with 22 others awaiting approval. Four of these leases are in GSBAs.

The institute of foresters further pointed out that 37 forest reserves have been ravaged by mining activities. Some of the “severely impacted” reserves, according to them, include Uppaw Wassaw, Apamprama, Oda River, Subin Shelterbelt and Asenanyo River Forest Reserves.

“This is very worrying. It is important to note that about 80% of the approved forest reserve mining leases are for alluvial mining, which are incompatible with forestry as a land use option,” the GIF noted.

“The ability of the forest to provide the known benefits depends on how well the forest ecosystem functions which is also dependent on the size and condition of the forest. Our current forest reserve area is far below the minimum 10% of the total land area targeted for environmental protection,” the statement highlighted.

An earlier statement of the foresters’ issues indicated that forest cover bigger than the size of the Greater Accra Region risks being wiped out given the number of licenses the government has issued so far.  

Given the impact of allowing unfettered mining in protected greenbelts, the foresters called on the President, his government, lawmakers, and the judiciary, to help end activities inimical to the protection of these critical reserved areas.

They are demanding that the government and Parliament declare a State of Emergency which includes “an order to ban all forms of alluvial mining (legal or illegal) in forest reserves and around water bodies. Immediate evacuation of all mining equipment in forest reserves and around water bodies.”

The foresters have also requested the deployment of the Police and Military to support the Forestry Commission to protect the forest reserves.

For the Chief Justice and the judiciary, the foresters expect that illegal mining cases before them would be expedited to send a strong signal to individuals who are bent on destroying the forest reserves.

“Currently, 850 illegal miners’ cases are pending before the courts. In some instances, Chinese illegal miners are released due to a lack of interpreters. We call for the urgent allocation of resources to these courts to enable them to expedite the illegal mining cases brought before them,” it said.  

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