A Rocha Ghana, a leading environmental group, has joined forces with six other civil society organizations to sue the government over illegal mining activities in forest reserves.
The coalition, which includes Kasa Ghana, Eco-Conscious Citizens, Tropenbos, Nature and Development Foundation, Civic Response, and Media Coalition Against Galamsey, is deeply concerned about the devastating impact of mining in these protected areas.
Further, according to the group, the passage of LI 2462 in 2022, which permits mining in Ghana’s forest reserves, has resulted in widespread destruction in protected areas and threatens the livelihoods of many Ghanaians.
In an emergency press briefing at the A Rocha head office in Accra, Deputy National Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bossu, emphasised that their primary objective is to secure an injunction to halt mining and prospecting in forest reserves, thereby safeguarding the environment.
Daryl Bossu told the media that the group’s suit will challenge the legality of LI 2462.
“The Minerals Commission is still accepting applications to mine in forest reserves as recently as August 2024. Our case challenges the legality of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, that LI 2462 which we believe was laid in Parliament without the mandatory physical impact analysis in violation of the Public Financial Management Act
“This failure to follow due process renders the regulation null and void.”