A coalition of civil society organisations, environmental advocates, and concerned citizens has called for urgent leadership changes within Ghana's minerals and mining regulatory bodies and the government to take immediate steps to address the growing menace of illegal mining in Ghana.
In a press statement released on 7th March 2025, the group highlighted the destruction of forest reserves, the failure of law enforcement, and the need for new leadership to tackle the crisis.
The statement criticised the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulation, 2022 (L.I. 2462), which allows mining in forest reserves. "L.I. 2462 is counterproductive to sustainable development and must be revoked immediately," the group insisted, demanding that all mining concessions issued for forest reserves be cancelled.
They also raised concerns about the abuse of the tributer mining lease system, calling for stricter monitoring and the online publication of all permits to ensure transparency.
