Private Legal Practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has downplayed the significance of repealing Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey”.
He has termed the move as merely “the icing on the cake.”
Speaking on TV3’s The Keypoints on October 4, Kpebu stated that President John Dramani Mahama’s administration is “on the right path,” but insisted that the real progress lies elsewhere.
He cited two major steps as being far more impactful: the cessation of mining licenses in forest reserves and the permanent stationing of security forces in those areas.
Addressing the government’s pledge to repeal LI 2462, a measure highly advocated by some civil society groups after the President’s engagement with CSOs on October 3, 2025, Kpebu argued that the repeal will not significantly improve the fight.
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This is primarily because the ban on forest mining was announced long before the repeal became a major talking point.
The lawyer expressed a nuanced view, noting that the existing law is still needed to regulate large-scale companies like Newmont that currently operate under existing forest leases.
“For me, the repeal is like the icing on the cake. It’s not the beginning because… the president announced a cessation of mining in the forest long before…it is not as if it [the repeal]is going to bring anything new,” he asserted
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Kpebu also dismissed repeated calls for a “State of Emergency” to fight “galamsey”.
He argued that the government already possesses all the necessary laws to deploy forces and take drastic action.
He urged CSOs to maintain vigilance and continue dialogue with the government every few months to ensure sustained progress.
VPO/EB
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