The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has revoked all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024, citing a lack of due process in their issuance.
Speaking at a joint press briefing on March 19, 2025, Buah emphasized the government’s renewed commitment to tackling illegal mining, announcing additional measures such as stricter controls on excavator imports and a total ban on the fabrication and importation of floating mining equipment.
Meanwhile, Parliament witnessed heated exchanges over a proposed Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which seeks to revoke the President’s authority to approve mining in forest reserves.
The presentation of the L.I. by the Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, was blocked by the Minority on March 18, insisting that parliamentary procedures must be properly observed.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin stressed the need for a pre-laying process to ensure thorough scrutiny, stating, “Mr. Speaker, I pray you to place the application on ice for now and rather direct that the minister goes through what has become a pre-laying ritual.”
Former Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor backed the call, warning that mining was already occurring in nearly all forest reserves and highlighting the need for proper checks.
However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga argued that the L.I. was a straightforward one-clause regulation, already backed by consensus, and urged swift action to curb environmental degradation caused by galamsey.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu supported Ayariga, describing the galamsey crisis as a national emergency requiring immediate attention.
After intense debate, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor ruled that a three-day pre-laying process must be observed, directing the Subsidiary Legislation Committee to review the L.I. and report back by March 20.
