The Minister and the EPA board members
The Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has inaugurated the Governing Boards of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), urging members to make environmental sustainability their top priority.
The EPA Board is chaired by Christina Amoako-Nuamah, an environmental expert. Other members include the Chief Executive of the EPA, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Prof. Rosemary Boateng Coffie, Prof. Mike Yaw Osei Atweneboana, Dr. Sandra Kesse-Amankwa, Dr. Eddie Akwetey, Clifford Edmund Frimpong, Sampson Akwettey, Mavis Asare Donkor, Chris Kwasi Anaglo, Dr. Wisdom Atiwoto, Samuel Aggrey, and Suweibatu Adam.
The seven-member GAEC Board is chaired by Dr. Abdulai Baba Salifu, with Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, Albert Quashgah, Prof. France Gbogbo, Dr. Sena Akosua Yvonne Loh, Prof. Langbong Bimi, and Suweibatu Adam serving as members.
Mr. Buah charged the boards to strictly adhere to environmental laws and ensure no major project proceeds without a thorough assessment of its environmental impact.
He stressed that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process was not a bureaucratic hurdle but a safeguard to protect Ghana’s water bodies, forests, biodiversity, and public health.
He urged the boards to discharge their duties with integrity and foresight, guided by principles of sustainable development, in order to prevent costly mistakes.
On illegal small-scale mining, the Acting Minister expressed concern over its continued devastation of rivers, forests, and farmlands, and tasked the EPA Board to enforce laws, raise public awareness, and promote alternative livelihoods.
He also called for greater accessibility of the EPA to the public through district-level engagement to encourage environmentally friendly practices that do not compromise economic growth.
Addressing the GAEC Board, the Minister advised strict compliance with international nuclear safety standards to advance the country’s nuclear agenda.
He encouraged members to strengthen research collaborations and promote the peaceful application of nuclear technology in health, agriculture, industry, and environmental management.
He further urged the GAEC to work with the Ministry to protect and secure its lands from encroachment.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah