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Press Release: Notice of Civil Action Against the Government of Ghana

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Recent developments resulting from the active actions of the Government of Ghana, which has led to unprecedented risk to convert Ghana’s protected forests such as Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs) into logging and mining areas have compelled us to issue a formal notice of intent to pursue civil action against the Government of Ghana.

Our constituent team of CSOs include, A Rocha Ghana, Tropenbos Ghana, Civic Response, Nature and Development Foundation, and EcoCare Ghana. We have taken this critical step in accordance with Section 19(1) of the State Proceedings Act, 1998 (Act 555), to fulfil our constitutional duty in safeguarding the natural environment, as enshrined in Article 41(k) of the 1992 Constitution.

While acknowledging the Government’s developmental objectives and the imperative need to utilize natural resources for national progress, we are of the conviction that such utilization must strictly adhere to legal frameworks outlined in the 1992 Constitution, the Timber Resources Management Act, 1998 (ACT 547) as amended, and the Timber Resources Management and Licensing Regulation, 2017 (LI 2254). Of particular concern is the recent declassification of Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs) within some forest reserves including the Subri River Forest Reserve and Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve, and the subsequent awarding of a Timber Utilization Contract to some logging Companies to operate in same.

 

See Full Statement HERE

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BRACE project launched to improve sustainable mining to safeguard the environment and protect people

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The European Union (EU) has launched the, “Building Resilient and Active Communities in Extractive Landscapes in Ghana (BRACE)”, project aimed at improving sustainable mining to safeguard the environment and protect individuals living in mining areas. BRACE underscores EU’s strong commitment to fostering responsible resource extraction practices that prioritize environmental preservation and the well-being of local communities. With EUR 1.718 million funding from the European Union, the BRACE project, implemented by a consortium of not-for-profit organisations (Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) and Nature and Development Foundation (NDF)) led by A Rocha Ghana, also aims to ensure adherence to human rights, transparency, and accountability in mineral governance by contributing to sustainable and equitable environmental management and good natural resource governance in Ghana. See Full Press Statement HERE
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Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana raises alarm over GMO

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The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana has called on the Government of Ghana to halt all activities geared towards introducing Genetically Modified (GM) products onto the Ghanaian market.

According to them, government through multinational seeds companies and agents in Ghana has approved the commercialization of 14 novel GM products comprising eight maize and six soya beans products.

“The consequences of this approval are dire and mark the beginning of the loss of Ghana’s control of our own indigenous agricultural system, leaving it in the hands and control of powerful multinationals, who can decide and dictate the pace of our food system,” they added.
The penchant taste for laboratory seeds, they say, comes with serious negative implications on health, the economy and the environment.

See Full Statement HERE

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Ghana Gets Wildlife Resources Management Act

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The President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has signed into law an Act of Parliament which seeks to revise and consolidate all laws relating to wildlife and protected areas, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has announced.
The Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2024 (Act 1115), sponsored by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, was passed by Parliament on 28th July, 2023, and assented to by the President on 1st March, 2024.
The Wildlife Resources Management Bill, which had been pending for over fifteen (15) years, was previously laid before the fifth, sixth and seventh Parliaments, until it was eventually passed by the Eighth Parliament, on 28th July, 2023.
Wildlife and protected areas were previously regulated by the Wild Animals Preservation Act, 1961 (Act 43), the Wildlife Conservation Regulations, 1971 (L.I. 685) and the Wildlife Reserves Regulations, 1971 (L.I. 710). These legislation, enacted over fifty (50) years ago, were not in tune with current international best practices for wildlife protection and management, and did not provide a proper legal framework for the implementation of the Forest and Wildlife Policy, 2012, the Forestry Development Master Plan (2016-2036) and other national and international frameworks that guide sustainable resource management, all of which were adopted years after these laws were passed.

See full statement HERE

Download the Wildlife Act HERE

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Ghana Environment Manifesto 2024 Launched

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“To ensure a prosperous and healthy future for all Ghanaians, leadership needs to prioritize environmental well-being in policy and development planning urgently. This should then inform an investment drive with a focus on environmental concerns, supported by altruistic incentives and legislative frameworks that hold polluters accountable. Finally, this must be done within an environment of a well-informed and empowered community, strong and independent institutions devoid of political elite capture and strong administrative accountability.”

Above is a succinct statement curled out from the Ghana Environment Manifesto which was launched on March 26, 2024, at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra.

The manifesto covers areas such as the Land Sector, Forestry Sector, Forest, Biodiversity and Agriculture Sector, Oil, Gas and Energy Sector, Environment and Climate Change Sector, Mining Sector, Wash Sector, Marine Environment and Fisheries Sector.

The document was developed through broad engagements of Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) within the natural resources, oil and gas, energy, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and climate change sectors, sharing inputs from their respective constituents across the country.

The Launch

Delivering a welcome address, National Director for A Rocha Ghana, Dr. Seth Appiah-Kubi called on political parties to refer to the Green Manifesto while prioritising environmental and green pathways as part of their potential future government’s development agenda.

“What I am driving at is the fact that considering our overreliance on our natural environment as a nation, it is high time we highlighted the importance of ecosystem services support to our national development and match it with the appropriate investments,” he said.

Further highlighting the need to secure our natural environment for generations to come, Ms. Eunice Aseidu, Programmes Coordinator at the Friedric-Ebert-Stiftung Economic Policy Competence Centre, said, the solutions to environmental degradation and prioritising green growth are not confined to the corridors of power but within dialogue amongst stakeholders and building synergy across divides to ensure sustainable environmental practices.

“Given the critical role the environment plays in our continuous survival, I urge the political parties to urgently centre environmental sustainability at the centre of their development agenda and we look forward to yet another political season with the environment at the centre of campaigns and subsequent conscious effort toward its implementation”, she added.

In his Key Note Address dubbed Prioritizing Environmental Sustainability and Wellbeing in Ghana’s Development Agenda, Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director General for the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) called for a more inclusive approach to combating environmental issues. According to him, the efficient coordination and connection of all key stakeholders including government, traditional leaders, CSOs, and the media, will produce a positive impact.

Dr. Mensah-Abrampa further urged CSOs to help improve capacity, knowledge and skills to enhance indigenous peoples’ appreciation of environmental protection. According to him, CSOs seem to have left a huge gap between traditional conservation norms such as taboos and contemporary environmental protection modalities, which according to him, should not be the case.

Participation

Political Parties present at the launch were, the National Democratic Congress (NDC); the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Movement for Change (M4C). Also present were key state institutions like, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation (MESTI); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD); Water Resource Commission (WRC); Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (WSWR) and Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

The event further saw representatives from Academia, Civil Society and the Media.

The launch was made possible by the partnership of Kasa Initiative Ghana, Green Livelihood Alliance Ghana, A Rocha Ghana and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

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Ghana Environment Manifesto 2024

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In the wake of increasing vulnerabilities to the Climate Crisis is the necessitated need to protect the environment towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreements and the Global Biodiversity Framework. Nonetheless, environmental sustainability in Ghana is under severe threat due to Land degradation and deforestation, Water scarcity and pollution, Climate change impacts, Waste management crisis, poor mineral governance, and Limited renewable energy.

Owing to this, Ghana’s development, economic growth, and public health is threatened. Addressing them requires a paradigm shift towards green development, focusing on economic prosperity while protecting the environment and ensuring social equity.  This necessitates sustainable land management, integrated water resource management, climate change adaptation and mitigation and Circular economy, sustainable waste management, Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation, and Accelerating renewable energy transition.

The Ghana Environment Manifesto captures the felt needs and aspirations of Ghanaians across the 16 regions over the increasing impunity and detrimental activities of government, corporations and individuals.

The aspirations highlighting issues, commitments and need actions within the Land, Oil, Gas and energy; WASH; Forestry, Biodiversity and Agriculture; Environment and Climate Change, Marine Environment and Fisheries and finally the mining sector are detailed in the attached Environment Manifesto for the election year 2024.

 

Ghana Environment Manifesto 2024

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COMMUNIQUE: Women Inclusive Safeguarding for Sustainable Environment Mineral Governance

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A coalition of CSOs A Rocha Ghana , SOCODEVI and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Ghana Canada’s Foreign Policy—Global Affairs Canada and BRACE on the 7th and 8th of March organised a stakeholder engagement to mark International Women’s Day with a focus on “Women Inclusive Safeguarding for Sustainable Environment and Mineral Governance.”

The two-day event which took place at Bibiani in the Western North Region of Ghana aimed at spearheading a transformative shift in mineral Governance by advocating for inclusive policies Safeguarding women’s social, environmental and non-extractive rights.

The stakeholder engagement was attended by representatives of civil society, development partners, academia, cooperatives, the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress, Ghana Cocoa Board, private sector, media, and communities.

Below is a Communique highlighting the outcome of the forum.


COMMUNIQUE

 

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Pangolin Protection: Recounting Year of Fruitful Effort

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Community person going through one of our educational materials. Credit: Gideon Anaba/WABiLED

Pangolin awareness and protection have taken a big leap since A Rocha Ghana’s advocacy campaign began about six years ago. From hunters in the wild to bush meat sellers on the highways; from ‘chop-bar’ operators to the youngest of community people, we have spared no stakeholder in the pangolin trade. Our relentless effort to protect Pangolins—the world’s most trafficked mammals- yields results that we are happy to share with the rest of the world.

When the campaign to sensitize communities on the sale and patronage of Pangolins and their meat began, it seemed like a long haul. The possibility of changing an age-long tradition and the love for a venerable delicacy seemed like a mirage. Today, we are proud of the communities that have made conscious efforts to allow Pangolins to remain in the wild and not hang up on a stake for food.

Through several collaborations like what we have with the United States Agency for International Development’s WABiLED programme, we have consistently engaged communities on the Accra- Kumasi Highway as well as communities fringed around the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.

 

Success in Patches

The past years have seen bush meat sellers remove pangolin meat from their carts and restaurants from their menus. Last year, we captured the story of the Abossey Okai Chop Bar—a popular chop bar at Nkwakwa in the Eastern Region of Ghana and how an erstwhile supplier of pangolin soup had become a huge advocate for pangolin protection. This year, the restaurant owner with permission from the District Assemblies, has allowed the mounting of a towering pangolin billboard which further reiterates the protection of the species.

An awareness Billboard at the Abossey Okai chop at Nkwakwa in the Eastern Region of Ghana

The Abossey Okai Chop Bar is not the only eatery that has ditched the pangolin meat for good. Obaa Joe Chop Bar, a popular eatery at Ahwenease— one of the communities around the Atewa Forest has also stopped. According to the chop bar operator, she could purchase about five pangolins in a day but when she heard she could be arrested for selling pangolin meat, she stopped buying from poachers and stopped selling completely. Today, Obaa Joe has several Pangolin posters splattered on her walls, echoing her support for protecting endangered species.

 

Some more push

Every year, our interactions with people on our campaign trail give us different insights into the pangolin trade and why it has thrived in certain areas. Bush meat sellers around the Asaman Tamfoe, Anyinam and Osino areas have accused hunters and poachers as the main perpetrators of the Pangolin trade and have asked for more education and sensitization to be targeted at the hunters. According to them, the trade will reduce drastically if the hunters stop poaching. With constant engagement, it is possible to recruit local hunters as agents of change who would go all out to support the fight to save Pangolins.

The bush meat traders say they have stopped buying from the hunters and that is the little way they can contribute to the campaign.

At Pameng, an Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Antwi Atua Eugene has pledged allegiance to  pangolins. He recognises the importance of protecting them for the forest’s well-being and hopes for more collaboration with government and state agencies in the quest to protect Pangolin and combat the illicit trade of the animal.

 

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ARG kick-starts project to protect threatened tree species in Atewa Forest

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A Rocha Ghana, in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (PGRRI) with funding support from the Fondation Franklinia has launched a project to strengthen the conservation of threatened tree species in Ghana.

The project dubbed “The strengthening knowledge and action on Atewa forest’s significance for protecting globally threatened tree species, critical ecosystems, and ecosystem service provision project” to be implemented in and around the Atewa Range Forest reserve seeks to increase knowledge on 19 targeted threatened and near-endemic tree species.

Threatened trees

These threatened target trees are being lost due to illegal activities reported to be present within the Atewa Forest. These species include Abaku/Baku (Tieghemella heckelii), Duatadwekese (Aubregrina taiensis) and Dodo-wa (Cola boxiana).

 

The launch

The official launch of the project which took place on Thursday, August 17, 2023 at the Abuakwa South District Assembly Hall, saw  stakeholders from the MMDAs (Abuakwa South, Atiwa West and Fanteakwa South), Academia (University of Environment and Sustainable Development, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies), Regulatory Agencies (Forestry Services Division, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana), Traditional Authorities from the project communities (Obuoho, Potroase, Owuretwum, Sagyimase, Apampatia and Dompem) and the PGRRI gracing the occasion.

In a welcome address, Director for CSIR-PGRRI, Dr. Daniel Ashie Kotey , highlighted how some near endemic species such as Tieghemella heckelii locally known as Abaku/Baku are gradually being lost due to illegal activities. He stressed on the importance of the project and commended the collaboration between A Rocha Ghana and the PGRRI.

Dr. Kortey entreated participants to contribute and ask for clarification on issues that they did not understand for the success of the implementation.  

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Isaac Ayamga, a representative from the Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly acknowledged the municipality is faced with several challenges including illegal mining, logging and bad farming practices which has led to a lot of species facing extinction. He thus commended the initiative and also the partnership with the PGRRI and the Forestry Commission.
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CSOs Demand Revocation of Retrogressive Mining in Forest Reserves L.I 2462

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On August 1 and 2, 2023, a coalition of environmental NGOs hit the streets, targeting the Parliament of Ghana and the Minerals Resources Commission, to demand the repeal of the newly passed Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which puts no restriction on mining in all of Ghana’s forest reserves. The action also raised concerns about the way mining-related permits are leading to the destruction of Ghana’s forest reserves and the pollution of water bodies.

The NGOs are A Rocha Ghana, Eco-Conscious Citizens, Youth Alliance Green Ghana, Ghana Youth Environment Movement, Ghana Environment Advocacy Group, Atronsu Farmers and Youth Anti Community/Small-scale Mining Group, Daby Foundation, SOY Africa, Youth Volunteers for the Environment, and AbibiNsroma Foundation.

Passing of the retrogressive L.I. 2462

In November 2022, a new legal instrument, L.I. 2462, ‘Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, was quietly passed. Civil society only became aware of this clandestine action by the EPA and government in March 2023.

At a press conference organised on June 9, the Deputy National Coordinator of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, read out a press statement on the way the L.I. was passed and its implications for the environment.

“In November 2022, a new legal instrument, L.I. 2462, ‘Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations’ was quietly passed. Civil society only became aware of this by the EPA and government in March 2023.

While the 2018 ‘Environmental Guidelines for Mining in Production Forest Reserves in Ghana’ that preceded the L.I. allowed a maximum of 2% of the production areas of
forest reserves to be mined, the new regulations have no such restriction. Consequently, after the L.I.2462 was passed, mining permits covering large portions of forest reserves, including Nkrabia, Boin Tano, Anhwiaso East, and Tano Anwi have been granted.

Pickets to continue

The NGOs demand that all forests reserves must be fully protected from all mining, both government-licenced and galamsey; otherwise, their integrity will be lost. Further actions are expected to continue at other government agencies in the coming weeks.