Accra: Ghana's landmark Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124), risks becoming merely a "law on paper" unless the NDC administration urgently operationalizes its key institutions, according to Dr John Kingsley Krugu, former Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and spokesperson for the NPP Environment and Natural Resources Sector Policy Committee for Election 2028. In a new assessment of the 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review, Dr Krugu argues that while the government deserves credit for macroeconomic stabilization and renewed enforcement against illegal mining, there is "comparatively limited evidence" that the broader institutional reforms envisioned under Act 1124 are being implemented.
According to Ghana Web, Dr Krugu highlighted that the ambitious legislation requires more than just its enactment; it depends on sustained political commitment, adequate financing, institutional capacity, effective regulations, and consistent administrative leadership. Assented to on January 6, 2025, by then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Act 1124 was presented as Ghana's most comprehensive environmental governance reform since the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490). Dr Krugu, who led the EPA during the final stages of the Act's development, said Parliament designed the legislation to establish a stronger institutional framework, climate governance as national policy, sustainable environmental financing, and accountability and evidence-based governance.
Dr Krugu acknowledged that the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review highlights achievements such as fiscal consolidation and enforcement against illegal mining. However, he contended that the review provides little information on the implementation of Act 1124's transformative provisions, such as the expanded mandate of the Environmental Protection Authority and the establishment of the Ghana Carbon Registry. He warned that delays in these areas could hinder Ghana's opportunities in international carbon markets.
A significant concern raised is the lack of dedicated ministerial leadership in the environmental sector during the administration's first year, which may have slowed the implementation pace. Dr Krugu urged President John Dramani Mahama to publish a comprehensive implementation strategy, allocate dedicated budgets, and appoint a dedicated Minister for Environment. He emphasized that environmental governance should be treated as a national development priority.
Dr Krugu concluded that while the legislation's passage is a success, the real challenge lies in its effective implementation. The success of Act 1124 will be judged by the strength of institutions it builds and the environmental outcomes it delivers. With Ghana facing environmental pressures and the global transition to green investment, how Act 1124 is implemented will determine the country's leadership in Africa's green transition.