The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ghana, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), has officially launched the inaugural National Landscape Forum.
This landmark event underscores Ghana’s commitment to sustainable environmental governance and aligns with the EPA’s mandate to coordinate and regulate environmental policies for national development.
The forum, held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at the Marriott Hotel in Accra, was themed “Natural Resources Management and Forestry Economy for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth.” It brought together major stakeholders across government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to engage in strategic dialogue on how to reshape the country’s approach to managing its natural assets.
Representing the Acting CEO of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, was Dr. Jacob Paarechuga Anankware, Deputy CEO in charge of General Services. In his keynote address, Dr. Anankware emphasized the timeliness of the forum, noting that the theme reflects a growing national and global imperative to rethink the way natural resources are managed. He acknowledged the critical support of MESTI, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and partner institutions for making the event possible.
The occasion was graced by a number of high-profile dignitaries, including the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Bole, Honorable Sulemana. Also present were Mr. Patrick Nimo, Chief Director at MESTI; Dr. Eugene Brown, Acting CEO of the Forestry Commission; Dr. Odrey Smoke Amoah, Acting Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission; and Professor Samuel Kwabena Anim, the Government Statistician. Mrs. Naila Ahmed, Programs Lead at the World Bank, joined other academics, researchers, and media representatives in attending the forum.
Dr. Anankware highlighted the importance of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) as a tool for valuing and monitoring the country’s environmental resources. He explained that NCA provides a data-driven foundation for national planning and can play a key role in advancing Ghana’s development priorities. This includes tracking progress on the National Development Policy targets, the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Climate Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Land Degradation Neutrality Targets, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
He stressed that adopting Natural Capital Accounting will not only inform national policy but also spark informed public debate on the direction of Ghana’s environmental and economic sustainability agenda. Dr. Anankware concluded with a strong call to action, urging policymakers, traditional leaders, civil society, the public and private sectors, and all other stakeholders to embrace and institutionalize NCA within the country’s development framework. He reiterated the importance of unified support from national leaders to ensure long-term environmental stewardship and economic growth.
The forum represents a significant milestone in Ghana’s environmental policy landscape, creating a platform for strategic collaboration aimed at building a greener, more inclusive economy for generations to come.
