EPA Makes Environmental Permits Mandatory for All Reclamation Activities Under New 2025 Regulations
Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority has issued a sweeping directive requiring every individual and organisation engaged in reclamation and restoration works to obtain an environmental permit, a move that significantly broadens regulatory oversight of the country’s mining and development sectors.
The directive, announced on 1 June 2026 by EPA Chief Executive Officer Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, is anchored in Regulation 40 of the Environmental Protection (Environmental Assessment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2504). It applies broadly across sectors involved in land and water restoration activities, signalling a new era of environmental accountability in Ghana.
The scope of the new permitting requirement is extensive. It covers mine reclamation and rehabilitation, restoration of degraded lands, rehabilitation of abandoned mining sites, backfilling and reshaping of excavated areas, ecological re-vegetation projects, dredging activities, and the restoration of affected water bodies. Essentially, any operation aimed at restoring disturbed terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems now falls within the permitting framework.
Compliance is mandatory for mining companies, contractors, landowners, developers, investors, and all other stakeholders undertaking such activities. The Authority has warned that failure to secure the requisite environmental permit will attract sanctions as stipulated under the 2025 regulations.
The measure arrives at a critical juncture for Ghana’s environment. The country’s mining sector, particularly artisanal and small-scale gold mining, has long been associated with widespread land degradation, water pollution, and deforestation. The EPA’s new directive represents an attempt to close regulatory gaps that have allowed restoration efforts to proceed without adequate environmental oversight.
Prof. Browne Klutse reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to safeguarding the environment while ensuring responsible development practices. The EPA has advised stakeholders seeking clarification on permit procedures to contact their nearest regional office or engage the Authority through its official communication channels.
The move underscores a broader shift in Ghana’s environmental governance. Earlier this year, the EPA announced a ban on selected plastic products, including polystyrene foam, marking what was described as the most significant environmental policy intervention in recent memory. The latest directive on reclamation permits suggests the Authority is intent on building a comprehensive regulatory architecture that addresses both pollution prevention and ecosystem restoration.
For an industry that has frequently operated in regulatory grey areas, the message is clear: restoration without a permit is no longer an option.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
