The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has directed all institutions, companies, contractors and individuals undertaking land reclamation, mine-site rehabilitation, dredging and water-body restoration without the requisite environmental permits to cease operations immediately.
The directive, contained in a public notice issued on October 14, 2026, requires affected entities to stop work and report to the nearest EPA Regional Office or the Authority’s head office for regulatory assessment.
The EPA said it had observed with serious concern the increasing number of reclamation and restoration activities being carried out across the country without the necessary Environmental Permits and regulatory oversight.
The Authority stressed that the requirement applies to both public and private sector projects, warning that government sponsorship, public funding or donor support does not exempt any project from Ghana’s environmental permitting regime.
It specifically named the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Forestry Commission, Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Minerals Commission and Mineral Development Fund, alongside other public institutions involved in reclamation and restoration programmes, as entities required to ensure compliance before physical works begin or continue.
Under Regulation 40 of the Environmental Protection (Environmental Assessment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2504), reclamation and restoration activities fall within the country’s environmental assessment and permitting framework.
The activities covered include mine reclamation and rehabilitation, restoration of degraded lands and abandoned mining sites, backfilling and reshaping excavated areas, revegetation, dredging and desilting of rivers, diversion of river channels, and the restoration of polluted water bodies, wetlands and aquatic ecosystems.
The EPA emphasised that no institution, company, contractor or individual is permitted to commence, continue or authorise such activities without first obtaining the required Environmental Permit.
It further cautioned that the award of a contract, approval of funding, possession of a mining lease or concession, or authorisation from another public institution does not constitute an EPA permit.
Similarly, a memorandum of understanding, consent from a traditional authority, or participation in a government programme cannot replace the statutory approval required from the Authority.
Contracting institutions have consequently been directed to verify the environmental permit status of projects before allowing contractors to mobilise to project sites.
The EPA maintained that the directive is not intended to undermine efforts to restore lands and water bodies damaged by illegal and irresponsible mining, acknowledging that such interventions are urgently needed.
However, it warned that the urgency of reclaiming degraded lands cannot justify bypassing environmental safeguards, cautioning that improperly managed restoration projects could themselves become sources of further environmental destruction.
The Authority warned that any institution or individual that continues reclamation, dredging, rehabilitation or restoration activities without the required permit after the notice would be acting in defiance of Ghana’s environmental regulatory framework and would be dealt with in accordance with applicable laws.
“Protecting Ghana’s environment is a legal obligation. Compliance is not optional,” the EPA stated.
Below is the Full Statement
PUBLIC NOTICE
14th October 2026
IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF LAND RECLAMATION, MINE-SITE REHABILITATION AND WATER-BODY RESTORATION ACTIVITIES WITHOUT EPA APPROVAL
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has observed with serious concern the increasing number of land reclamation, mine-site rehabilitation, dredging and water-body restoration activities being undertaken across the country without the requisite Environmental Permit and regulatory oversight of the Authority.
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.
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.
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, but are not limited to:
Mine reclamation and rehabilitation;
Restoration of degraded lands and abandoned mining sites;
Backfilling, grading and reshaping of excavated areas;
Revegetation and ecological restoration;
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 reiterates 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.
This directive applies equally to government-sponsored, publicly funded, privately funded and donor-supported projects.
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 required to verify EPA permit status as a condition precedent to site mobilisation.
The EPA supports Government’s efforts and legitimate private initiatives aimed at restoring lands and water bodies damaged by illegal and irresponsible mining. 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.
Any institution or person that continues such activities after this notice does so in defiance of the environmental regulatory framework and shall be dealt with in accordance with the applicable laws of Ghana.
Protecting Ghana’s environment is a legal obligation. Compliance is not optional.
ISSUED BY MANAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY
