The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has warned public institutions, mining companies and contractors against undertaking land reclamation and mine-site restoration without obtaining the required environmental permits.
In a public notice issued on October 14, 2026, the Authority ordered all entities carrying out reclamation, dredging, rehabilitation or water-body restoration without its approval to stop work immediately and report to an EPA office for regulatory assessment.
The directive specifically applies to government-sponsored projects, publicly funded programmes, privately financed activities and donor-supported initiatives.
The EPA said an increasing number of reclamation and restoration activities were being undertaken across the country without the required permits and regulatory oversight.
It reminded institutions including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Forestry Commission, Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Minerals Commission and Mineral Development Fund that environmental approval must be secured before physical work begins or continues.
“Accordingly, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Forestry Commission, Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Minerals Commission, Mineral Development Fund, and all other public institutions participating in, sponsoring, procuring, facilitating or supervising reclamation and restoration programmes are required to ensure full compliance with EPA permitting requirements before any physical works commence or continue.”
The EPA cautioned that obtaining a contract, securing project funding or receiving authorisation from another public institution does not exempt a project from the environmental permitting process.
It also said mining leases, concessions, licences, memoranda of understanding and consent from traditional authorities cannot serve as substitutes for an Environmental Permit.
“The award of a contract, approval of funding, possession of a mining lease, concession, licence, memorandum of understanding, authorisation from another public institution, traditional authority consent, or participation in a Government programme does not constitute an Environmental Permit and does not replace the statutory approval of the EPA.”
Contracting institutions are therefore required to verify that the necessary permits are in place before allowing contractors to mobilise to project sites.
The Authority said it supports efforts to restore land and water bodies damaged by illegal and irresponsible mining but insisted that such interventions must follow the law.
It warned that continuing the activities after the notice would attract action under Ghana’s applicable laws.
