By Esther Olaoluwa |
The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Professor Edward Wiafe Debrah, has called on the Ghanaian government to review outdated environmental policies and strengthen enforcement to protect the country’s biodiversity from growing threats linked to development and natural resource exploitation.
He said some environmental policies and guidelines were no longer adequate to address the changing ways in which Ghana’s forests, wetlands and other natural resources were being exploited, with some regulations dating back to the colonial era.
Prof. Wiafe Debrah made the call during a virtual training programme for journalists across West Africa organised by the West African Journalists for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (WAJESHA).
The training, themed “Understanding Biodiversity: Why Nature Matters to Our Future,” focused on the importance of biodiversity and the need for stronger public understanding and protection of natural ecosystems.
Outdated policies threaten conservation
Prof. Wiafe Debrah said Ghana’s rapid development through mining, road construction, agriculture, settlements and other activities should not come at the expense of biodiversity.
“Policies must be changed as time evolves. The enemies of biodiversity are changing their methods, and our policies should also change over time,” he said.
He cited the Forest Ordinance, Cap 157, as an example of legislation that requires review, explaining that it contains provisions permitting the utilisation of trees outside forest reserves without replacement.
According to him, the policy was introduced at a time when Ghana was seeking to expand cocoa production but has remained in place despite changes in the country’s environmental circumstances.
He called for stronger environmental laws, effective enforcement and accountability to deter environmental crimes.
He also urged the government to restore degraded forests, wetlands and other ecosystems while investing in environmental research and innovation.
Why biodiversity matters
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms, including plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms, and the ecosystems in which they exist.
Ghana’s biodiversity includes tropical forests, savannahs and wetlands. The country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan notes that wetlands provide important ecological, social and economic benefits, including supporting fisheries, helping with flood control and providing food, medicines, fuel and building materials for communities.
The Convention on Biological Diversity also recognises pollinators as vital to agriculture and ecosystem health. Its International Pollinators Initiative notes that nearly 90 per cent of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend entirely or partly on animal pollination.
Prof. Wiafe Debrah said Ghana was at a crossroads, identifying deforestation, illegal mining, uncontrolled timber harvesting, bushmeat hunting, plastic and chemical pollution, sewage disposal and wetland destruction as threats to the country’s biodiversity.
He noted that Ghana had lost Miss Waldron’s red colobus (Procolobus badius waldroni) over the past century, warning that continued unsustainable exploitation could result in further species extinctions.
Illegal mining not the only threat
The UESD don also cautioned against viewing illegal mining as the only major threat to Ghana’s water bodies and ecosystems.
He said indiscriminate waste disposal and the destruction of wetlands for developments such as filling stations and supermarkets were also putting pressure on natural ecosystems.
“Many of these things are where policy reform comes in. The global world is developing faster and we cannot develop without considering these things,” he said.
The impact of illegal mining on Ghana’s forests and waterways has also been documented in recent reporting, with mining activities linked to deforestation, land degradation and polluted water bodies.
Prof. Wiafe Debrah further warned against indiscriminate use of insecticides, stressing the importance of bees and other pollinators to food production.
“If we eradicate all the bees, who will conduct the pollination for us?” he asked, noting that artificial pollination could be costly.
The Convention on Biological Diversity similarly identifies pesticide exposure, habitat loss and harmful land-use practices among issues that need to be addressed to safeguard pollinators and the ecosystems that support them.
Communities should benefit from natural resources
Prof. Wiafe Debrah called for greater involvement of local communities in the management of forests and other natural resources.
He argued that communities living alongside biodiversity should be involved in conservation decisions and should benefit from the sustainable use of natural resources.
He also urged policymakers to prioritise environmental research and innovation so that decisions on development and resource exploitation are informed by current scientific evidence.
The call comes as Ghana continues to balance economic activities such as mining, agriculture, construction and urban expansion with the need to protect ecosystems that support livelihoods, food production and community wellbeing.
Prof. Wiafe Debrah maintained that environmental policies must evolve alongside the threats facing biodiversity, with stronger laws, enforcement, research and community participation needed to ensure that development does not undermine the natural systems on which communities depend.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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