No mining licenses issued under my administration so far-Mahama

President John Mahama has stated that since assuming office, his government has not granted a single mining license, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s forest reserves.

Addressing his first media engagement on September 10, the President emphasized that safeguarding the environment was a national priority. He explained that the repeal of LI 2462 was only meant to legally formalize an existing government stance — that no company has been permitted to mine within forest reserves during his tenure.

Mahama disclosed that a national task force had been set up specifically to confront illegal mining activities. Their operations, he said, had led to the confiscation of hundreds of excavators, water pumps, and other heavy machinery, disrupting entrenched networks engaged in galamsey.

The President also pointed to progress in reclaiming degraded lands. He noted that nine forest reserves previously taken over by illegal miners had been restored to state control, ensuring their protection and preservation.

According to Mahama, the government is not only focused on enforcement but also on regeneration. The Tree for Life initiative, currently being rolled out nationwide, aims to restore lands damaged by both legal and illegal mining operations.

He further stressed that accountability remained at the heart of his leadership. Public trust, he said, depended on recovering state resources lost through corruption and mismanagement, and his government was unwavering in its commitment to deliver on this front.