President Mahama to permanently ban mining in forest reserves, vows tougher environmental protections

President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to introduce a permanent ban on all mining activities within Ghana’s forest reserves as part of sweeping reforms aimed at protecting the environment and reclaiming degraded lands.

During a televised address on Wednesday, May 7, marking the first 120 days of his administration’s performance, the President unveiled a bold environmental agenda centered on legislative reforms, stronger enforcement, and sustainable land management.

“I intend to amend the Minerals and Mining Act, 2003 (Act 703) to completely prohibit mining in forest reserves. This amendment will provide a clear, enforceable, and permanent legal framework to protect our forests from exploitation,” he stated.

President Mahama reaffirmed his commitment to tackling illegal mining, or "galamsey," which has caused widespread destruction to forest lands and polluted water bodies across the country. He described environmental protection as one of the government’s top priorities and detailed the steps already taken to restore affected areas.

“In the first 120 days, we have taken decisive steps through a five-point strategy to reform and sanitise the small-scale mining sector,” the President said. “This includes regulatory reforms, enhanced law enforcement with joint task forces, arrests and seizures of illegal equipment, stakeholder collaboration, and the reclamation of degraded lands.”

He reported that seven out of nine forest reserves previously overrun by illegal miners had already been reclaimed, with offenders driven out and restoration underway.

President Mahama also cited a recent legislative breakthrough designed to curb executive overreach in environmental decisions. “Following the ban on mining in forest reserves on March 20, 2025, Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 was presented to Parliament. This amendment to the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations removes the President's discretionary power to approve mining in forest reserves.”

Alongside legal reforms, Mahama highlighted the rollout of national environmental initiatives aimed at reversing deforestation and encouraging reforestation.

“The tree for life reforestation initiative was also launched on March 21, 2025 to restore degraded lands and combat climate change. This project aims to plant over 20,000,000 seedlings annually nationwide, including through the one child pet tree policy to inculcate environmental consciousness in our use.”

He stressed the importance of engaging communities, deploying technology, and strengthening governance systems to consolidate gains.

“By combining enforcement, policy reform, technology, and community engagement, we're on track to reclaim our environment and ensure responsible mining for future generations. Achieving the expected outcomes of reduced illegal mining, cleaner water bodies, restored forests, and stronger governors,” President Mahama added.

The President’s strong environmental stance signals a renewed national push to safeguard natural resources while balancing development needs with long-term sustainability.