Ghana's top science group wants President Mahama to completely throw out a mining law that lets people dig in protected forests. The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences says the government only wants to change one small part of the rule instead of scrapping the whole thing like they promised.
The scientists think this half-hearted approach makes the government look bad and goes against what they said about protecting nature. They argue that forest reserves should stay as forests and not become mining sites because digging there hurts animals and makes water dirty.
The controversial law came from the previous government and gives the president and a minister power to approve forest mining. The Academy believes this breaks Ghana's constitution because only the Minerals Commission and Parliament should make these decisions.
The group calls the regulation a complete failure that could make Ghana's already weak mining oversight even worse. They warn that forests protect the country from climate problems and water shortages.
The Academy demands a total ban on all mining activities in forest reserves and wants the president to stop any digging that might already be happening in these protected areas.
The scientists think this half-hearted approach makes the government look bad and goes against what they said about protecting nature. They argue that forest reserves should stay as forests and not become mining sites because digging there hurts animals and makes water dirty.
The controversial law came from the previous government and gives the president and a minister power to approve forest mining. The Academy believes this breaks Ghana's constitution because only the Minerals Commission and Parliament should make these decisions.
The group calls the regulation a complete failure that could make Ghana's already weak mining oversight even worse. They warn that forests protect the country from climate problems and water shortages.
The Academy demands a total ban on all mining activities in forest reserves and wants the president to stop any digging that might already be happening in these protected areas.
