President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a bold set of reforms aimed at permanently ending illegal mining in Ghana’s forest reserves, as part of sweeping measures rolled out within his first 120 days in office.

Addressing the nation on the early achievements of his administration, President Mahama declared his government’s intention to amend the Minerals and Mining Act, 2003 (Act 703), to permanently ban mining operations in forest reserves.

“We are not just tightening regulations — we are targeting the very foundation of the mining legal framework,” he stated.

“The time has come to protect our forests and water bodies with decisive legal action.”

The President said the reforms will form part of a broader strategy that includes stricter enforcement, aggressive land reclamation, and long-term restoration efforts to reverse the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, widely referred to as "galamsey."

In addition to his strong stance on illegal mining, President Mahama provided key updates on the rollout of his administration’s flagship 24-hour economy policy.

He confirmed that the Cabinet has approved major amendments to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act and the Labour Act, paving the way for the expansion of 24/7 operations across sectors.

“Several government agencies are already implementing this policy,” Mahama revealed, citing examples such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre’s new 24-hour premium services and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ round-the-clock passport service.

President Mahama emphasised that both the environmental reforms and economic modernisation efforts are integral to his vision of a transformed, sustainable, and inclusive Ghana.