As Ghana steps up the fight against illegal mining, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation has stressed the need for marine climate mandates to be formally integrated into Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
The move, officials say, will help safeguard the environment in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Speaking at the opening of the Second International Conference on Ocean Governance at the University Of Ghana School Of Law Auditorium, Director of Environment at the Ministry, Dr. Peter Justice Dery, noted that marine climate mandates should be codified into the EIA and the marine spatial planning regime to ensure good environmental stewardship on the ocean.
“We must also legally define carbon ownership. While we have developed a framework for terrestrial carbon, we are yet to establish one for blue carbon, and that gap must be addressed,” he said.
Open Government Partnership Fellow, Samuel Alessu Doji, described illegal mining as the most destructive form of marine pollution, explaining that “Galamsey represents the height of marine pollution because contaminants move directly from rivers into the marine environment. Unlike other forms of pollution, galamsey is a frontal attack on our water bodies, and it poses the greatest danger to aquatic life.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority, Professor Nana Ama Brown Klutse, urged stronger enforcement of environmental laws, warning that commitment without action will not save Ghana’s oceans.
“The scientific community has already provided the diagnosis. Now it is up to us to act. Addressing this crisis demands a robust and collaborative response. We must move from high-level commitment to enforcement on the ground. The time for deliberation is over, the time for action is now.”
Internationally, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides the framework for ocean governance. Experts at the conference unanimously agreed that Ghana must act swiftly to protect its marine ecosystems from the growing menace of illegal mining and safeguard a sustainable future for generations to come.
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