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Reverse E.I 144 to protect Achimota Forest – CSOs demand
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the climate change space have called on the Executive and Parliament to reverse legislation permitting forest reserve developments.
The groups are demanding that Executive Instrument 144 and Legislative Instrument 246 (2) that declassified the Achimota Forest and other reserves across the country, be immediately halted to save the few and fast-depleting reserves left.
The coordinator for Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaa, argued on the Citi Breakfast on Citi FM that declassifying forest reserves is not in the country’s interest and must not be permitted to prevail.
She said, “The government acquired lands for horticultural purposes and not for commercial purposes and so we need to have an audit and those structures on Parks and Gardens lands must be removed immediately. We are asking the Cabinet to rescind E.I 144 to reverse the declassification of the Achimota Forest and also, Parliament must reverse LI 246 (2) because they are not in the interest of Ghana or Ghanaians.”
“The colonial administration had the good sense to have forest reserves for posterity, knowing the value of forests and now, with all our education, we want to convert our protective forest reserves into developments. There is an increase in lung diseases due to all these developments,” Awula Serwaa further told Caleb Kudah on Thursday.
E.I. 144 is in relation to 361 acres of Achimota forest that the government is returning to its custodial owners, the Owoo family.
The Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu also urged the Lands Minister to reverse the legislation and block any attempts to reclassify forest reserves.
“Citizens were thinking that with all the uproar, the government will rescind its decision but they are seriously on the forest reserve demarcating portions of the forest and that is very unfortunate,” she added.
She concluded that “It is unfortunate that this is happening at a time we are talking about air pollution and other things yet we are still determined to go into the forest. The government must take a bold step and say, they are going to listen to the people and stop the demarcation because the Achimota Forest is very important and theLands Minister must not allow it.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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