Mahama Govt ‘Secretly’ Issues Fresh Permits for Gold Mining in Protected Forest Reserves

A major scandal is brewing at the Forestry Commission as startling revelations emerge about the issuance of fresh permits to three gold mining companies for operations inside Ghana’s protected forest reserves. 

Documents intercepted by MyNewsGh show that Dr. Hugh Brown, the newly appointed acting Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, has authorized multiple entry permits to companies seeking to operate within critical ecological areas.

In one Mining company’s case,the company has been granted virgin Forest Entry to cover 391.13 hectares of forest reserve by the Acting CEO of the Commission supposed to rather protect Ghana’s forest reserves.

Two of the mining companies, namely Messrs FJ Minerals Limited and Amby Limited made an application for a Forest Entry Permit to the Dr. Hugh Brown on 24th March 2025 and 25th March 2025 respectively with same granted this month and payment made, evidence sighted by MyNewsGh.com reveal.

Overall, documents available to MyNewsGh.com shows three companies have so far been linked to the approvals. 

FJ Minerals Limited has been granted permission to enter the Jimira Forest Reserve.

Amby Limited has received a permit to access the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve. 

And most controversially, GBF Associates Limited has been allowed to operate in the Bosomkese Forest Reserve with a permit that was backdated to May 2024.m although they all put in their applications this year. 

The backdating raises red flags, as the May 2024 timestamp predates Dr. Hugh Brown’s appointment as CEO. 

At that time, the Commission was under the leadership of former CEO John Allotey. Yet, curiously, the permit bears Dr. Brown’s signature, suggesting either a manipulation of official records or a highly irregular administrative process.

Environmental activists and anti-corruption advocates are demanding immediate answers. Ghana’s forest reserves are already under pressure from illegal mining and logging and are protected under national law. 

As a result, any entry for extractive purposes requires stringent vetting, public consultation, and inter-agency coordination.

So far, neither Dr. Hugh Brown nor the Forestry Commission has issued a public statement on the matter. 

As public scrutiny intensifies, calls are mounting for a full-scale parliamentary inquiry, with many questioning whether this is an isolated incident or part of a broader scheme to open Ghana’s protected reserves to private exploitation under dubious circumstances by President John Mahama despite his promise to protect to the environment during the campaigns. 

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