Kakum National Park to be leased for mining – Report

Reports suggest that Kakum National Park, a prominent tourist site in Ghana, is undergoing negotiations for leasing to High Street Ghana Limited, a mining company, for operations within the forest. This move has sparked concerns among civil society organizations (CSOs) in the country.

Recent findings from the Minerals Commission reveal that High Street Ghana Limited has submitted an application for a mining license at Kakum National Park, and the application is currently in the validation stage. This particular application is one of 14 received by the Minerals Commission from various firms seeking permission to mine in different forest reserves across the nation.

During a stakeholder engagement on November 9, discussing the new Regulation on Mining in Ghana’s Forest Reserves (LI 2462) for 2022, Mustapha Seidu, the Director of Nature and Development Foundation, expressed disapproval. He warned that if the Legislative Instrument (LI 2462) is not revoked, it could result in extensive destruction of the country’s forests.

Seidu emphasized the urgency of addressing this matter, pointing out that there are currently 15 forest reserves at different stages of consideration for mining licenses, including the application by High Street Ghana Limited for Kakum National Park. According to provided concession maps, this specific license would cover approximately 24% of the reserve.

In his statement, Seidu stressed the need for collective attention to LI 2462, stating concerns about the rapid legal destruction of forests within a year of its enforcement. He cautioned that without intervention, the situation could escalate significantly in the coming years.