Accra, Dec. 17, – Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang has affirmed that the judiciary remains committed to backing the national campaign against illegal mining.
He indicated that the judiciary would collaborate closely with the Executive and the Legislature to ensure effective enforcement of laws addressing environmental destruction.
Addressing participants at the 2025 Annual Chief Justice’s Mentoring Programme in Accra, Justice Pwamang disclosed that three High Courts were undergoing refurbishment and had been designated judges to adjudicate cases stemming from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations, as well as other matters involving the loss of state assets through environmental damage.
He said the newly designated courts were expected to commence work early next year.
The mentoring programme, held under the theme “Advocating Greener Sustainable Justice: The Environment and Justice,” brought together students from 11 senior high schools, members of the Orange Girls groups in Accra and Kumasi, and representatives of the United Nations Youth Association.
Justice Pwamang reiterated the judiciary’s dedication to guiding young people and said the Justice Clubs would promote “green campuses and schools that practise waste segregation.”
He encouraged young people to demand accountability on environmental matters and noted that the judiciary would support the expansion of Environmental Clubs nationwide, with 13 additional clubs scheduled for inauguration next year.
He stressed that the judiciary would continue to uphold environmental legislation, adding that success would be unattainable “if we have a population which does not cooperate with us.”
Justice Pwamang described the theme as appropriate, given the growing threats posed by climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources to ecosystems, public health, food production and livelihoods.
He observed that the judiciary’s pursuit of justice would be incomplete without attention to environmental protection, emphasising that sustainable justice involves preserving natural resources and securing the welfare of future generations.
According to him, courts worldwide are increasingly being called upon to resolve environmental disputes, including cases of illegal mining, pollution, land degradation, forest offences and associated human rights issues.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kofi Armah Buah, said portions of Ghana’s environment had effectively become “a crime scene.”
He noted that the battle against illegal mining represented “the ultimate test of Ghana’s rule of law” and reiterated government’s determination to stop environmental destruction and restore degraded lands.
Mr Buah stressed that the nation’s forests and water bodies were inviolable and required protection.
He revealed that all excavators brought into the country were now being monitored and geo-fenced, with more than 1,200 machines currently unclaimed at military installations.
Judicial Secretary, Mr Musah Ahmed, said the event’s theme highlighted the fact that “justice goes beyond our courtrooms and statutes. It encompasses our duty to safeguard the environment that sustains us all.”
He added that environmental protection constituted both a legal obligation and a moral imperative, demanding the participation of young people, communities, institutions and policymakers.
GHBUSS
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