An environmental protection group, A Rocha Ghana and Six CSOs have filed a writ of summons and an application for an interlocutory injunction in the High Court against; the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, The Environmental Protection Agency, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, the Mineral Commission, the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney-General to challenge the legality of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022 (L.I.2462).
The legal action, which represents a collective effort by A Rocha Ghana, Nature and Development Foundation, Civic Response, EcoConscious Citizens, Kasa Initiative Ghana, Tropenbos Ghana, and Ken Ashigbey is aimed at protecting Ghana’s forest reserves from devastating effects of mining.
According to the group, a total of 24 forest reserves, including seven globally significant biodiversity areas, either have a mining lease granted within their boundaries, or a mining lease or prosecuting licence application awaiting validation.
The group is also asking the Higher court to grant an interlocutory injunction to halt the insurance of any further permits or licenses under the disputed L.I.2462 also restrain any person or any entity holding such licenses from carrying out mining activities in forest reserves and prevent the exercise of any presidencial powers to approve mining in globally significant biodiversity areas, pending the court’s determination of the case.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the Deputy Director of Arocha Ghana, Daryl Bossu said this legal action aligns with their shared commitment to environmental conservation and the protection of Ghana’s natural resources for current and future generations.
He added that, the L.I.2462 is a bad law which contradicts Ghana’s progressive framework for natural resource management for the last 25years, and it erodes protection for forest Reserves in Ghana.
