EPA Orders Immediate Halt to All Land Reclamation, Water Restoration Activities Without Permit
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has ordered the immediate cessation of all land reclamation, mine-site rehabilitation, dredging and water-body restoration activities being undertaken across the country without its approval.
In a Public Notice dated October 14, 2026, the Authority said it has observed with serious concern the increasing number of such activities without the requisite Environmental Permit and regulatory oversight.
“The EPA reminds all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, State institutions, mining companies, contractors, traditional authorities, landowners, developers, investors, non-governmental organisations and individuals that reclamation or restoration undertaken by, commissioned by, funded by, supervised by or carried out on behalf of a public institution is not exempt from Ghana’s environmental permitting requirements,” the notice stated.
The Authority directed that 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 must ensure full compliance with EPA permitting requirements before any physical works commence or continue.
According to the EPA, under Regulation 40 of the Environmental Protection (Environmental Assessment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2504), reclamation and restoration activities fall within Ghana’s environmental assessment and permitting regime.
These include mine reclamation and rehabilitation; restoration of degraded lands and abandoned mining sites; backfilling, grading and reshaping of excavated areas; and revegetation and ecological restoration.
It also includes dredging and desilting of rivers and other water bodies; diversion or modification of river channels; restoration of polluted or disturbed water bodies, wetlands and aquatic ecosystems; and any related intervention intended to restore land, rivers, streams, wetlands or other environmentally disturbed areas.
The Authority reiterated that no institution, company, contractor or individual may commence, continue or authorise these activities without first obtaining the requisite Environmental Permit from the EPA.
“All entities presently undertaking reclamation, dredging, rehabilitation or restoration activities without the requisite EPA Environmental Permit are hereby directed to CEASE OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY and report to the nearest EPA Regional Office or the Head Office for regulatory assessment,” it said.
The directive, the EPA said, applies equally to government-sponsored, publicly funded, privately funded and donor-supported projects.
It further clarified that 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.
While supporting the Ggvernment’s efforts and legitimate private initiatives aimed at restoring lands and water bodies damaged by illegal and irresponsible mining, the EPA stressed that urgency cannot justify bypassing environmental safeguards.
“Such restoration is urgently needed. However, the urgency to reclaim degraded lands cannot justify bypassing the environmental safeguards established to ensure that reclamation itself does not become another source of environmental destruction,” it noted.
The Authority warned that any institution or person that continues such activities after the notice does so in defiance of the environmental regulatory framework and shall be dealt with in accordance with applicable laws of Ghana.
Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
