Parliament’s Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has suggested that instead of fully repealing Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462—as promised in the NDC’s 2024 campaign—it would be more effective to amend the law by removing the President’s authority to permit mining in forest reserves.
Speaking on GBC’s Focus news and current affairs programme on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Mr. Ayariga explained that environmental concerns largely center on a specific clause in the legislation that empowers the President to approve mining in protected forest areas. Amending that particular section, he argued, would address the core issue without discarding the entire framework of the law.
“There’s a clause in the law that allows the President to permit mining in forest reserves. If that is the problem, then we should just amend that part,” he said. “Why repeal the entire legislation when the issue lies with just one provision?”
Mr. Ayariga also noted that some people may not clearly distinguish between repealing a law in its entirety and amending a problematic section. He emphasized that if the objective is to safeguard forest reserves, removing the President’s discretionary power would be a sufficient and targeted solution.
Drawing on his experience as a former Minister for Environment, Mr. Ayariga underscored that the challenge is not mining itself, but rather ensuring it is conducted responsibly. He recounted a visit to a former mining site that had been successfully restored into a forest through a reclamation initiative.
“Gold is vital to our economy. It helps stabilize our currency. But we must mine responsibly,” he noted.
He concluded by reaffirming the government’s dedication to environmental protection and its willingness to collaborate with environmental stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions.
