The Executive Director of the Nature and Development Foundation, Dr. Mustapha Seidu, has exposed the vulnerability of Ghana’s forest reserves to mining activities.
Dr. Seidu attributes the audacity to seek a mining license for the renowned Kakum National Park in the Central Region to the controversial Legal Instrument (L.I) 2462. The legislation, specifically the ‘Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations,’ passed in November 2022, has become a gateway for the depletion of the country’s vital forest resources.
Since the enactment of L.I 2462, numerous mining permits have been granted to various companies, sparking concern among civil society organizations. Kakum National Park, a national asset and one of 14 reserves facing mining applications, recently witnessed public outcry over the mining license application submitted by the High Street Company.
The Minerals Commission, responding to the public concern, issued a communique confirming the rejection of the High Street Mining Company’s application. “The Commission wishes to inform the CSOs and the public that the application of High Street Mining Company Limited was rejected and therefore cannot be processed or considered whatsoever. Consequently, the Commission has deleted the application from the online mining cadastre.”
Despite this rejection, Dr. Mustapha Seidu warns that similar incidents may persist if the regulations governing mining in Ghana’s forests remain unchanged. In an interview on November 13, he emphasized, “The audacity to even think about applying for a mining lease in the Kakum National Park is worrying. It just tells you that there is no forest reserve in this country that is protected from mining. Every forest reserve is a candidate mining site.”
The situation prompted a stakeholder engagement on the new Regulation on Mining in Ghana’s Forest Reserve. At the meeting held last week, several civil society organizations (CSOs) voiced their concerns, urging authorities to reconsider and scrap the controversial Legislative Instrument (LI 2462).
They argue that failure to do so will inevitably lead to further destruction of Ghana’s precious forests, endangering the biodiversity and national heritage these reserves represent. The fate of Ghana’s forest reserves now hangs in the balance as stakeholders grapple with the urgent need for legislative changes to protect these vital ecosystems.