The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has nullified the Constituency Executive Elections conducted in three constituencies following what it described as serious violations of party directives, election regulations, and, in some instances, existing court orders.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 15, the party announced that the National Steering Committee had taken the decision after reviewing reports on the constituency executive elections held across the country over the weekend.

The affected constituencies are Bantama, Afigya Sekyere East, and Adansi Asokwa, where the party said the elections were conducted in blatant disregard of the rules and regulations governing the 2026 Constituency Executive Elections.

As part of measures to establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents, the National Steering Committee has directed the Ashanti Regional Steering Committee to appear before it on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to account for the conduct of the elections in the affected constituencies.

The party further disclosed that election-related disputes in Asante Akyem Central, together with all other unresolved constituency election disputes, have been referred to the Electoral Affairs Committee of the National Council for review, advice, and recommendations.

The NPP reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring transparency, fairness, and adherence to its constitution and regulations in the conduct of its internal elections. It stressed that the party remains committed to upholding the rule of law while safeguarding the integrity and credibility of its internal democratic processes.

The statement was jointly signed by Acting National Chairman Danquah Smith Buttey and General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong.

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY ANNULS PURPORTED CONSTITUENCY EXECUTIVE

The Government has announced sweeping policy reforms aimed at strengthening environmental protection, including restoring the Achimota Forest to its original reserve status and introducing new mining regulations to improve governance in the extractive sector.

Addressing the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said the measures form part of government’s broader strategy to safeguard Ghana’s forests, water bodies and mineral resources.

One of the key announcements was Cabinet’s decision on June 24, 2026, to revoke Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, as amended by E.I. 234, thereby restoring Achimota Forest as a protected forest reserve.

According to the Minister, the decision preserves the forest as an important ecological buffer for Accra and surrounding communities while preventing future encroachment.

Mr. Buah also announced that Cabinet has approved a revised Minerals and Mining Policy 2014 and a new Minerals and Mining Bill to replace the existing Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

The proposed legislation introduces several reforms, including the establishment of district mining committees, the creation of a medium-scale mining category, a maximum mining lease period of 20 years, and mandatory Community Development Agreements between mining companies and host communities.

Government has also passed Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2517 – Minerals and Mining (Royalties) Regulations, 2025, introducing a sliding-scale royalty system that adjusts royalty payments based on mineral prices to protect both state revenue and mining companies during market fluctuations.

Beyond legislative reforms, the Ministry is accelerating environmental restoration through the Tree for Life Restoration Initiative.

Mr. Buah disclosed that approximately 31 million seedlings were planted in 2025, restoring about 23,600 hectares of degraded land. Government plans to plant another 30 million seedlings in 2026, supported by 2,719 Youth Forest Champions engaged in nursery development, tree planting and forest protection.

The Minister further announced that the Electronic Land Information System (ELIS) has been rolled out in nine regions, enabling citizens to access land search services online without visiting Lands Commission offices.

Government has also launched the Strategic Land Administration Reform Project (SLARP) and is piloting Land Banks to provide secure land for large-scale agricultural and agro-industrial investments.

Reaffirming government’s commitment to environmental protection, Mr. Buah stressed that natural resources must be preserved for future generations.

“Our rivers are not for sale. Our forests are not expendable. Our mineral wealth is a sacred national inheritance that we have a duty to protect,” he said.

He added that, protecting Ghana’s natural resources requires a collective effort, urging traditional authorities, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and the general public to actively support government’s environmental protection agenda. He stressed that stronger collaboration among stakeholders would help sustain efforts to reclaim polluted rivers, restore degraded forests and promote responsible management of the country’s mineral resources.

Government says its intensified crackdown on illegal mining is producing significant results, with 258 suspects arrested and no forest reserve classified as a “Red Zone” since December 2025.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said the government’s renewed anti-galamsey campaign is beginning to reverse years of environmental destruction while strengthening protection for Ghana’s forests and water bodies.

According to the Minister, security operations carried out in forest reserves led to the arrest of 258 suspects, the seizure of 1,225 pumping machines, the dismantling of 765 chanfan machines, the demobilisation of six excavators, and the destruction of 430 illegal structures.

He described the absence of Red Zones in forest reserves since December 2025 as a major achievement in government’s efforts to reclaim protected areas from illegal miners.

The Minister also highlighted the work of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), which conducted 200 operations across 53 districts between January and June 2026, achieving an 84.1 percent success rate.

Those operations resulted in the arrest of 207 suspects, made up of 161 Ghanaians and 46 foreign nationals. Authorities also seized 78 excavators, immobilised another 90, destroyed 2,800 chanfan machines, demolished 1,244 illegal structures, and recovered 112 pump-action rifles together with 1,637 rounds of ammunition.

To strengthen surveillance of rivers affected by illegal mining, government deployed 452 additional Blue Water Guards, increasing the total number to 2,069 personnel operating across eight regions.

As part of broader reforms, Cabinet revoked Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, as amended by E.I. 234, restoring the Achimota Forest to its original status as a protected forest reserve.

The Ministry has also launched the Responsible Community Mining Scheme Digital Platform (rCOMSDEP), which has registered more than 9,000 small-scale miners and 700 mining cooperatives to promote responsible mining practices.

Mr. Buah reiterated government’s commitment to pursuing everyone involved in illegal mining, including financiers and organised criminal groups.

“Our rivers are not for sale. Our forests are not expendable. Our mineral wealth is a sacred national inheritance that we have a duty to protect,” he stated.

He stressed that government would continue enforcing the law without fear or favour while calling on traditional leaders, security agencies, the media, and the public to support the fight against illegal mining and environmental degradation.