The Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462 seeking to strip the President of the power to grant licenses for mining in forest reserves has officially been laid before Parliament.
This comes after the initial attempt to introduce the L.I. was blocked on Tuesday due to procedural disagreements between the Majority and Minority caucuses.
The Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, was set to present the instrument earlier in the week.
However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin insisted that the L.I. must undergo a mandatory pre-laying process before being formally introduced in the House. Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, on the other hand, argued that the L.I. is a straightforward, one-clause amendment that had already achieved consensus.
Following intense deliberations, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor ruled that the L.I. must go through a three-day pre-laying process. He further directed the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament to review the instrument and submit a report by Thursday, March 20.
With the committee’s review completed, the L.I. was successfully laid before Parliament today, Thursday, March 20.
While laying the L.I., the Minister for Local Government, Ahmed Ibrahim, who presented the instrument on behalf of the Environment Minister, stated that the government has heeded the concerns of the people
He added that “the revocation will go a long way to help the image of the house.”
Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament Patrick Boamah says the New Patriotic Party MPs are not opposed to the policy rationale behind the instrument and will support it.
“This side of the house is not opposed to the revocation of this instrument,” he said.
The instrument will take effect after 21 sitting days of Parliament.
If passed, the new legislation would revoke the President’s authority to grant mining licenses in forest reserves, a move widely seen as a critical step in tackling illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.
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