The Lands and Natural Resources Minister-designate, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has assured Ghanaians that, if confirmed, there will be no new mining activities in the country’s forest reserves.
Speaking during his vetting before the Parliamentary Vetting Committee on Monday, January 27, 2025, Mr. Buah made it clear that his stance reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable resource management.
“We have said that there will be no new mining activities in forest reserves, and the intention is to make sure that L.I. 2462 is amended to ensure that the provision allowing for mining in reserves is not in place,” he said.
Emphasising the government’s determination to prioritize environmental preservation, Mr. Buah explained that one of his first priorities would be to address the current legislation. “If you give me the chance, my first activity will be to ensure that there will be no new mining activities in forest reserves.”
The minister-designate stressed the importance of taking decisive action to protect forest reserves from mining encroachments, highlighting that this policy change would halt any future attempts to exploit forest lands for mining purposes.
