Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has pressed for swift legislative measures to make ecocide a criminal offence in Ghana, cautioning that unchecked environmental destruction has reached critical levels.
Addressing Parliament on Monday, he underscored the urgency of tackling widespread ecological harm, particularly from illegal mining activities.
“Honourable Speaker, I rise today with a profound sense of urgency and responsibility to speak on a matter that transcends partisan politics, economic growth, and short-term development agenda,” he declared.
“I speak to the need for legislative action against ecocide — the mass destruction of ecosystems — and for Ghana to align itself with a growing global movement to make environmental devastation a punishable crime both domestically and internationally.”
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh explained that ecocide carries a precise legal definition under emerging international frameworks.
“Ecocide, as defined by an independent expert panel convened by Stop Ecocide International, refers to ‘unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment’,” he noted. “This is not abstract rhetoric; it is a legal concept with measurable criteria — damage that is severe, widespread, or long-term.”
He pointed out that current international law does not yet recognise ecocide as a distinct crime outside of wartime.
“The current legal framework in international law — notably the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court — lists genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression,” he said. “Ecocide is not yet recognised as a standalone international crime during peacetime.”
This gap, he argued, has created a loophole that enables large-scale environmental destruction with minimal accountability.
“This absence in international law creates a legal vacuum: corporations, state actors, and individuals can commit ecological destruction — deforestation, industrial pollution, oil spills, and climate-amplifying activities — with limited criminal liability.”
Citing the Niger Delta as a cautionary example, he said: “The Nigerian Niger Delta, for example, has suffered over 7,000 oil spills from 1970 to 2000, devastating water, soil, and human health, with full environmental restoration estimated to take decades.”
Momentum, however, is building globally. “At least 11 countries have already incorporated ecocide into domestic law, including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Ecuador, Chile, France and Belgium,” he stated. “In 2023, Belgium became the first European Union country to criminalise ecocide as part of its penal code revisions.”
He emphasised that criminalisation would send a strong moral and legal message. “This is not merely environmental law — it is justice law. Criminalisation signals a societal consensus that destroying ecosystems is morally and legally unacceptable.”
Turning to Ghana, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh warned that the nation’s natural systems are under severe strain.
“As a country affected by deforestation, illegal mining (galamsey), and water pollution, Ghana’s ecosystems are under severe stress. Recent reports indicate that up to 60% of our water bodies have suffered pollution due to illegal mining.”
He stressed that ecological destruction undermines public health, food security, and long-term prosperity. “The consequences of ecological damage are intergenerational — they affect our children, their livelihoods, and their right to a healthy environment.”
The Minority Chief Whip urged Parliament to enact a clear legal provision criminalising ecocide. “Introduce a standalone legal provision defining and criminalising ecocide with clear thresholds for severity, duration, and impact,” he said. He further called on Ghana to advocate internationally: “Advocate at the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court to include ecocide as the fifth international crime. Ghana has an opportunity to be a regional and continental leader championing ecocide law.”
He also stressed the need to strengthen enforcement institutions. “Empower Ghana’s environmental protection agencies and judiciary with investigative authority, evidence standards, and prosecutorial capacity to ensure accountability.”
Concluding his remarks, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh urged immediate action. “Protecting our ecosystems is not an optional policy. It is a fundamental commitment to future generations. Let us give meaning to that commitment by making ecocide a crime under Ghanaian law.”
Leave a Reply