Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has lauded the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for its decisive measures to safeguard Ghana’s environment, describing the fight against land and water degradation as critical to national survival.
During a working visit to the Ministry, led by sector Minister Hon. Armah Kofi Buah, the Vice President received a detailed briefing on the state of the sector and the interventions being rolled out to protect land, forests, and water resources.
The Ministry, which oversees three subsectors and eleven agencies, reported that as of early 2025, 41 out of 228 forest reserves had been invaded by illegal mining activities, with Ashanti, Western, and Western North regions most affected. The environmental impact, including alarming turbidity levels in major water bodies, forced the shutdown of several water treatment plants.
In response, Government has launched firm and coordinated initiatives. Notably, the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative, introduced in March 2025, aims to plant 30 million trees nationwide to restore degraded forests and lands. Joint operations by the Forestry Commission and security agencies have reclaimed nine “red zone” forest reserves previously occupied by armed illegal miners. Over 1,000 excavators have also been seized, with unregistered machines undergoing decommissioning and land reclamation.
Ghana has further achieved a global milestone by officially launching its Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing system on August 15, 2025, becoming the first African country and only the second worldwide to issue licenses certifying legal timber exports to the European Union.
To strengthen land administration, Government is decentralizing the Lands Commission to district levels to improve access, reduce bureaucratic delays, and curb corruption. A committee has been set up to review the allocation of public lands, while digitization and automation of services are underway to enhance records management and turnaround times. Fraudulently acquired licenses have already been revoked as part of broader regulatory reforms.
The Vice President reaffirmed Government’s full support for the Ministry and its agencies, stressing that protecting natural resources is fundamental to livelihoods, food security, public health, and the well-being of future generations.
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