President Mahama must apologise for U-turn on L.I. 2462 revocation – Awula Serwah

Awula Serwah, Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, opposes the government's plan. She criticizes the decision to amend Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 instead of revoking it. This promise was made by President John Dramani Mahama during the 2024 election campaign.

At the JoyNews National Dialogue on L.I. 2462, Madam Serwah expressed her disappointment. She called the President's change a betrayal of public trust. She believes he owes Ghanaians an apology.

“The President promised us a revocation, not an amendment,” she stated. “He should apologize for proposing an amendment instead of a full revocation.”

Madam Serwah emphasized that state-sanctioned mining should not occur in forest reserves. She argued that amending L.I. 2462 undermines efforts to protect the environment.

She believes L.I. 2462 should be fully repealed. New regulations must be developed with legal experts' input.

“We don’t need state-sponsored mining in forest reserves,” she said. “Revoking L.I. 2462 shows goodwill and good faith.”

Madam Serwah also criticized how illegal mining is discussed publicly.

“We shouldn’t talk about banning something already illegal,” she noted. “What we need is strict enforcement of existing laws.”