Addressing a plenary session at the ongoing summit on Tuesday, 12th November 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan, President Akufo-Addo stated that Ghana is making steady progress towards a sustainable future, aiming to reduce its emissions by 64 million metric tonnes by 2030.
As part of achieving this target, President Akufo-Addo highlighted various policies his administration has implemented, including the Green Ghana project, which has reportedly seen over 50 million trees planted since 2017, and the National Electric Vehicle Policy to accelerate Ghana’s energy transition, among others.
However, responding to the speech in an interview with Pulse Ghana, Founder and Coordinator of Eco Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaa, said the President is living in a “parallel universe” and argued that his speech failed to address the true state of the country.
She pointed out that Ghana’s rivers, forest reserves, and environment continue to be devastated by illegal mining activities, with little to no government action to address the menace. “The reality on the ground is that criminal thugs, environmental vandals are destroying... forest reserves, and as they do, it’s impacting climate change. We all know that,” she noted.
She added, “We are supposedly green in Ghana, but with the other hand, we pass EI 144 declassifying parts of Achimota Forest and LI 2462 allowing mining in forest reserves, including globally significant biodiversity areas. So we’re not at all interested in meeting any of the goals.”
In response to the President’s statement indicating that over 50 million trees have been planted since 2017, Awula Serwaa questioned the figure and demanded that the sector ministry provide data to substantiate this claim.
She urged the government to take decisive action to tackle Ghana’s environmental challenges, including declaring a state of emergency in all mining areas and revoking Legislative Instrument L.I 2462.
Illegal mining in Ghana has led to serious environmental degradation, including the pollution of water bodies with mercury and cyanide, deforestation, and soil erosion, all of which pose long-term risks to ecosystems and human health. Despite government crackdowns and regulatory efforts, the practice persists, driven partly by poverty, limited job opportunities, and high global demand for gold.