A member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Deputy Director of Campaign and Advocacy (NDC Youth Wing), Reginald A. Boateng, has cautioned that he and some other members of the party may reconsider their membership with the party if Parliament fails to repeal Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 by December 2025.
Speaking during a live Zoom interview on MX24 Voting Voices’ 10 months assessment of President John Mahama’s administration, Mr. Boateng expressed disappointment over what he described as the government’s delay in addressing concerns surrounding the controversial regulation.
“If by December 31 2025 Parliament does not repeal LI 2462, some of us NDC members will reconsider our stance with the party,” he said.
He added that tackling the galamsey menace urgently will go a long way to protect the future generations and the futurre of the nation.
“I think that this is about the future of our nation, the future of our generations and the next. Granting miners the rights to mine in our forest reserves and water bodies is the reason we are here today” he added.
LI 2462, officially known as the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022, was introduced to regulate mining activities in forest reserves under specific environmental conditions.
It allows mining in certain protected forests, except in restricted areas, but also grants the President power to permit mining in prohibited zones deemed to be in the national interest.
Environmental groups and legal experts have criticized the law, arguing that it effectively legalizes mining in Ghana’s forest reserves, weakens environmental protection, and undermines conservation efforts. They also warn that it could accelerate deforestation, pollute water bodies, and threaten biodiversity, given the country’s ongoing struggles with illegal mining.
Calls for its repeal have grown stronger, with civil society organizations insisting that revoking LI 2462 would demonstrate the government’s commitment to sustainable resource management, environmental accountability, and good governance.
Reginald is advocating for stricter measures such as declaring persons found engaging in illegal mining activities in these areas as “armed robbers and criminals”.
“Parliament is reconvening next week (October 21) and when Parliamnet resumes, the processes and procedures to repeal LI 2462 would be initiated” he concluded.
 and the Deputy Director of Campaign and Advocacy (NDC Youth Wing), Reginald A. Boateng, has cautioned that he and some other members of the party may reconsider their membership with the party if Parliament fails to repeal Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 by December 2025.){kind=link}