Accra: Ghana's environmental crisis is not primarily a problem of inadequate knowledge but a political problem arising from the failure to act on challenges the country has known about for decades, former Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has said.
According to Ghana Web, Prof Frimpong-Boateng emphasized that Ghana has been aware of its environmental challenges for approximately 50 years but has consistently failed to translate that knowledge into sustained action. He shared these insights during the keynote lecture at the Fourth Annual Colloquium of the Department of Political Science Education at the University of Education, Winneba.
The lecture, titled 'Airs, Waters, Places - and Ghana: Politics, the Environment, and the Habit of Abandonment,' explored Ghana's environmental challenges through the perspectives of governance, politics, and policy continuity. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng highlighted that while the diagnosis of environmental problems is relatively straightforward, the challenge lies in taking action, which he described as the 'expensive part' of the issue.
He argued that Ghana's environmental issues are well-identified, but the lack of political will and institutional consistency hinders effective solutions. The country's 'mental environment'-the attitudes and behaviors influencing societal responses to environmental threats-plays a significant role in this inaction.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng noted that one of the primary reasons for the failure of environmental policies is the mismatch between political timelines and ecological timelines. Political leaders operate within short electoral cycles, while environmental problems develop over extended periods. Consequently, the political costs of enforcing environmental laws are immediate, while the benefits may only manifest years later, disincentivizing political actors from prioritizing long-term environmental protection.
He further addressed the structural challenges in Ghana's environmental governance, describing the Environment Ministry as a 'minister for consequences, not causes.' Many activities damaging the environment fall under other sectors like mining, agriculture, and industry, over which the Environment Ministry has limited control.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng proposed several institutional reforms to address Ghana's recurring environmental policy failures. These include a National Environmental Compact, personal liability for officials issuing permits affecting sensitive natural areas, and an annual State of the Environment audit. He also advocated for the regularization and mechanization of small-scale mining to ensure proper tracing and accountability.
Emphasizing the importance of accountability, he argued that making policy abandonment costly and ensuring individual responsibility for environmental decisions are crucial steps. In his closing remarks, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng reiterated that Ghana's environmental challenges are not unknown problems awaiting diagnosis but are issues that persist due to political and institutional choices.
He concluded by urging the country to move beyond a cyclical approach to environmental policy, emphasizing the need for consistent leadership through successive political cycles. 'Make abandonment expensive. Make the signature personal. Make the measurement public. And then hold the wheel,' he said.