Repeal Environmental Protection Regulation – Tropenbos Ghana to Akufo-Addo
Tropenbos Ghana, an NGO that influences forest policy and sustainable development, has urged President Nana Akufo-Addo to repeal the Environmental Protection Regulation, LI 2462.
The Legislative Instrument implies that no forest reserve in Ghana is exempted from mining if deemed to be in the interest of the state as determined by the President.
It also means that Ghana’s most sensitive forest areas, protected by acts of parliament and international conventions that Ghana has signed on to, can no longer be deemed secured; as such, they are counterproductive to innovative solutions to manage such areas.
As the world marks International Day of Forests today, Thursday, March 21, Tropenbos Ghana is calling on the government as a matter of urgency to ensure that Ghana’s forests are protected.
This year’s celebration is on the theme ‘Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World’.
The advocacy group, in a statement signed by the project manager, Boakye Twumasi Ankra, also demanded the immediate reversal of the directive from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, to the Forestry Commission to permit timber harvesting companies to log in Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs).
The group justified that the forest reserves host endangered species and, as such, must be protected.
Additionally, the group requested that “the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources be transparent and accountable to Ghanaians on degazetted portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve. Since the degazetting, there has been limited public engagement in the actions that are being taken to ensure the sustainable management of the forest. Amidst reported instances of illegal entry, it is our strong conviction that the MLNR should make public the procedure for degazetting portions of the forest, allocations that are being or will be made, beneficiaries, management, and investment practices, particularly concerning the surrounding ecosystem.”.
Find the full statement below.
About Tropenbos Ghana
Tropenbos Ghana was established in 2001 in response to sustainable landscape management challenges in Ghana.
In 2017, Tropenbos Ghana became a legal national entity and a member of the Tropenbos International network.
Their mission is to generate, communicate, and advocate the application of information that optimizes forest benefits through participatory and collaborative approaches.
Their goal is to ensure that forest sector actors in Ghana apply sound and adequate information for poverty reduction policies, implement activities that increase forest cover, promote climate-resilient practices, and reduce conflicts associated with forest management and ecosystem services.
They are into research, capacity building (individuals, communities, institutions, and relevant stakeholders), the provision of platforms for informed dialogues on topical forestry issues, and the sharing of lessons and experiences at local, national, and international levels.