Parliament has passed six new regulations to support the implementation of the Environmental Protection Authority Act, 2025 (Act 1124), Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed.
The Minister made the disclosure on the floor of Parliament while responding to questions on how the newly enacted law is being operationalised and the institutional changes being introduced to strengthen the enforcement capacity of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
According to Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah, the regulations cover Environmental Assessment, Effluent Management, Air Quality, Ozone Protection, Petroleum-related environmental matters, and the certification of air conditioners.
He explained that existing regulations, guidelines and technical manuals have also been reviewed and revised to bring them into conformity with the new legislation and provide a clearer framework for environmental regulation and enforcement.
The Acting Minister further disclosed that the EPA has embarked on institutional strengthening and capacity-building programmes, including training for its staff and relevant stakeholders on the new legal requirements, procedures and enforcement tools introduced under the Act.
He said additional personnel are also being recruited to strengthen the Authority’s human resource capacity, while plans are underway to establish new EPA offices in various districts across the country.
According to the Minister, the expansion of the EPA’s presence at the district level will improve monitoring and enforcement and enable the Authority to respond more effectively to environmental challenges across the country.
He said the combined measures are expected to strengthen the operational capacity of the EPA and ensure more effective implementation and enforcement of Ghana’s environmental laws under the new Act.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe
