Hamza Suhuyini, a member of the NDC communications team, has expressed concern over criticism suggesting the government has failed in its fight against illegal mining, also known as galamsey, stressing that the scale of the problem makes it unrealistic to resolve all issues within a single year.
His comments follow the government’s revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which had given the President the authority to approve mining in forest reserves. The Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Revocation Instrument, 2025, matured into law on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, after being laid in Parliament by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, December 12, Suhuyini noted that the repeal of the law is part of broader government efforts to tackle galamsey, but warned that success depends on sustained enforcement, inter-agency collaboration, and public support.
“We are committed to the fight, but the scale and depth of illegal mining require long-term strategies and consistent action across all levels.
“It will be unfair to expect this government to deal with all issues of illegal mining under one year. We have shown commitment in fighting it in many ways. As a government, we know that because of how deep illegal mining is, it will be difficult for us to confront it in a matter of a year.”
