By Alex Ababio
Environmental Advocates Demand Comprehensive Strategy Beyond Legal Repeal
The Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaah, has cautioned that repealing Ghana’s controversial L.I. 2462 regulation alone will not solve the country’s escalating illegal mining crisis. She called for a national, multi-sectoral strategy to combat what she described as an “existential environmental threat.”
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, Serwaah acknowledged that scrapping L.I. 2462 — which previously allowed mining leases in forest reserves — was a welcome decision. However, she stressed that the repeal alone cannot stop the ongoing destruction of Ghana’s water bodies, farmlands, and ecosystems.
“The fight against irresponsible mining — the existential threat we currently face — must be fought on different fronts,” she said. “L.I. 2462 had to do with granting leases to mine in forest reserves. But much of what we see now is outright illegal mining with no licence whatsoever.”
Ghana’s Water Bodies at Risk from Rampant Illegal Mining
According to Serwaah, most illegal miners operate without licences or exceed their approved boundaries, leaving behind poisoned rivers and degraded landscapes. She revealed that over 60% of Ghana’s water bodies have been contaminated as a result of unchecked mining practices.
“Many of these operations have destroyed our rivers and farmlands beyond repair,” she lamented. “The destruction is no longer confined to forest reserves — it’s everywhere.”
Adjonsu Community Faces Water Contamination Crisis
Highlighting a recent case, Serwaah said residents of Adjonsu community have reported alarming levels of illegal mining near their farmlands and water sources.
“Two excavators have found their way onto the landscape,” she explained. “They’ve tried unsuccessfully to reach NAIMOS to get them removed. The Adjonsu stream is their only source of drinking water — and poisoning water, even in wartime, is a war crime.”
She noted that both NAIMOS (National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat) and the police have failed to intervene, leaving residents exposed to environmental and health risks.
Repeal of L.I. 2462 Doesn’t Protect Non-Forest Communities
Serwaah further pointed out that while repealing L.I. 2462 protects forest reserves, communities outside those reserves — such as Adjonsu — remain unprotected.
“They will not be helped by L.I. 2462, so we need to support activists who are trying to protect their landscape,” she urged.
Government’s New Mining Control Measures
The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) recently presented a revocation instrument to Parliament on October 31, seeking to repeal L.I. 2501 and revoke L.I. 2462. The move, according to the Ministry, forms part of its Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) and ongoing enforcement efforts led by NAIMOS.
Officials say the repeal aligns with the government’s broader agenda to restore degraded lands and strengthen environmental governance.
Activists Call for Enforcement and Community Protection
Environmental organizations, including Eco-Conscious Citizens, argue that policy changes must be backed by strong enforcement, community involvement, and real accountability to be effective.
Without these, they warn, Ghana’s water bodies, forests, and agricultural lands will continue to face irreversible damage.
“Repealing a law won’t stop illegal miners from destroying rivers if the enforcement institutions remain weak,” Serwaah emphasized.
A National Call to Action
Experts agree that ending Ghana’s mining crisis requires more than repeals — it demands political will, coordinated enforcement, and public education. Until then, galamsey (illegal mining) will continue to threaten not just Ghana’s environment but also its food security, public health, and economic future.