Ghana - Environmental action plan

GHANA i -- -I-NMEN TAL At-. _' C', -, (VOLUME 1I It I.c - Ghn :11i t ~~~~~Environmental Protection Council j ~~~~~~~P.O. Box M-326 ! ~~~~~~~Accra.- Ghana: 1~~~~~~~ i. } w- - -- --a~;-b.-X ______  GHANA ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN (VOLUME 1) Environmcntal Prolection Council P. . Box M-326 Accra-Ghana _ _.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1  TABLE OF CONTENTS Page of Tables and Figures Vl. ^abreviations VIl Execute Summary IX CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION I A Sustainable Development Slrategy for Ghana I Scope and Process 2 CHAPTER TWO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT IN GHANA 4 Current State of the Ghana Economy 4 Economic Development and Ernvironmertally Sustainable Growth 4 Economic Justffication for an Environmental Action Plan 5 Towards a Remedial Incentive Framework 6 The Role of Ownership 6 Functloning Markets 7 EXTERNAUTIES 7 PRIORMZATION OF INVESTMENTS IN THE EAP 9 AgrIculture 9 Industry 10 Urbanization 10 Water Resources 11 "'4APTER THREE '9NAL ENVIRONMENTAL PCJUCY A. PREAMBLE 12 B. DEFINMONS 12 C. OBJECTIVES 12 D. PRINCIPLES 12 E. POUCY STATEMENT 13 ISSUE-SPECIFIC POUCY ORIENTATIONS 13 1.0 Management of Ervironmensal Resources 14 2.0 Prevention and Control of Poilution 15 3.0 Action In Specific Areas 16 4.0 Development of Appropriate Instruments 18 5.0 Enviroraner.a Education 18 60 Environmental Monitoring 18 7.0 IntematIonal Co-operation 18 CHAPTER FOUR LEGALAND INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES 20 a) Need for a National Environmental PolIcy 20 b) Present Legal and Instittonal Fzamework 20 c) Proposed Policy Agenda 20 Need to set Standards for Air Quality. Water OuaIity and Noise levels In Urban Areas 24 Need to Prepare and implement Environmental Regulations for Water Management, Mining and Industry 24 Role of Sectoral Agencies 25 Rde of District Assembiles 25 Rde of NGOs and Community Groups 25 Environmental Action Plan Hi  ACTIONS 26 CHAPTER FIVE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 28 ISSUES 28 LAND MANAGEMEN iT 28 Population Pressure 29 Land Ownership and Tenure 29 Land Use Planning 29 Agro-chemical Residues 30 Shifting Cultivation 30 Agriculture in the Coastal Zone 30 Range Lands 31 Bushfires 31 FOREST RESOURCES 31 ENERGY RESOURCES 32 Environmental Impacts of Energy Development 34 WATER RESOURCES 36 Inadequacy of Water Cycle Data 36 Water Resources Assessment 37 Inef fective Water Resources Planning 37 Problems of Water Management 36 WATER POLLUTION 39 MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS 41 MINERAL RESOURCES 42 ACTIONS CHAPTER SIX MANAGING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 49 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT 49 HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS 49 MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES 50 a COASTAL POLLLTnON 52 INDUSTRIAL SOUD WASTES 52 HUMAN SETTLEMENTS 54 ACTIONS 57 CHAPTER SEVEN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 60 it ISSUES 60 NON-FORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 60 Natural Resources 61 Population Dynarnics 61 Human Setlerents 61 -I Industrialization 62 I; Environmental Management 62 [ Methods of Dissemination 62 FORMAL EDUCATION 62 Prirmary Level 63 Content AreaslSubject Emphasis 63 Method of Instruction 64 Middle and Junior Secondary Schools fiA METHODS OF INSTRUCTION 65 IV Environmental Action Plan  PAGE Senior Secondary School 66 Content Areas and MeLhiod of Instruction 66 K Third Cycle Institutions 65 ACTIONS 66 CHAPTER EIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 69 ISSUES 6 DATA AVAILABHJTY 69 DATA GATHERING 69 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS 70 L Health-related Monitoring Programme 71 DATA MANAGEMENT AND SYNTHESIS 73 INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE 74 LAND AND LAND COVER 75 WILDUFE POPULATIONS AND HABITATS 76 WATER OUAUTY 76 MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS 76 CHAPTER NINE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN SUMMARY 79 CHAPTER TEN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY 83 The Role of the EPC 83 The Role of Sectoral Agencies/Institutions 83 National Energy Board 85 Water Resources Research Institute 85 The Role of the District Assemblies 85 The Role of Community Groups 85 X Environmental Aotlon Plan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-I  LUST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1. Major Ecologicai Zones of Ghana Fig. I Map of Ghana Showing Administrative Regions Fig. 2 Map of Ghana Showing Drainage and Physiographic Regions Fig. 3 An Integrative Institutional Framework for Environmental Management an5 Policy. Fig. 4 Ghana: Project Sampling Stations Fig. 5 Proposed Protected and Planning Coastal Zone Areas Annex A: Activities and Their Impacts on Receiving Media Annex B: Investment Projects to Arrest Environmental Degradation V i- I.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ w ~vl Envionmental Action Pl  ABBREVIATIONS ADRA - Adventist Development and Relief Agency AESC - Archilectural and Engineering Services Corporation AMA - Accra Metropolitan Authority CEC - Community Environmental Commitee CCFI - Communiry Collaborative Forestry InhiabvoL DA - District Assemblies ECOWAS - Economic Commun!ty of West African States EEZ - Economic Exclusive Zone L EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMC - Environmental Management Commmtee r EPC Environmental Protection Council EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment ERP - Economic Recovery Programrne GAEC - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission GDP Ghana Domestic Product GIC - Ghana Investment Centre GIS - Geographic lrdormation System GSB - Ghana Standards Board GWD - Gane and WidW.e Deparment G'NSC - Ghana Water ard Sewerage Corporation IAB - Insite of Aquatic Biology IDA -Irigation Development Authority IPCP - Inter-Depantmental Pesticide Control Programme IRNR - Instute of Renewable Naturl Resources MSD - Meteorological Services Depanment NEB - National Energy Board NEIS - Natlonal Environmental Informaion System J NDPC - National Development Planning CommissIon Enironmental Action Plan Vil  NGO - Non-Govmmenntl Organisations NRC - Natonal Redemptlon Councfl OAU - Organization of African Unity OCP - Onchocercaisis Control Programme PAMSCAD- Programme of Action to Milgate the Socal Cost of Adjustment PNDC - Provisional National Defence Council PIP - Public Investment Programme PPP - Polluter Pays Principle PTA - Parent-Teacher Association UNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organization UST - University of Science and Technology VIP - Ventlated Improved Pt VRA - Volta River Authority WRC - Water Resources Commission WRRI - Water Resources Research Institute ViW, Envronm entaLAcflnalan  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND Ghana is endowed with abundant natural resources. These served as the spring-board for the country's Industrialisation effortaftertheattainment of independenceaand they remain thefundamental endowment from which the nation's people deriwe their livelihood. In the process of exploiting these resources to meet socio-economic needs, however, adequate care has not been taken to guard against the depletion of the resources. This has given rise to a host of problems, including deforestation. desertffication. and soil degradation. Also many problems associated with industrialisation. such as pollution of air and water, have surfaced. A point has now been reached when it is necessary to balance national development effort and the quest for economic growth with a rational exploitation of the resource base. This must be done to ensure that economic devehapment can be sustained In the long termL In Marci 19B8, the Govemment of Ghana initiated a major effort to put environmental issues on the priorityagenda. The exercise has culminaed in the preparation ota strategyto address the key issues relating to the protection of the environment and better management of renewable resources. The objectiLe of what has become known as the Environmental Action Plan (EAP) is to define a set of policy actions, related investments, and institutiona strengthening acbvities to make Ghana's development strategy more environmentally sustainable. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT IN GHANA Prior to the launching of the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) in 1983 the economy of Ghana was in decline due to the combined effects of poor veather, Institutional rigidities, inappropriate economic policies and internal and external shocks. The ERP has led to a positive growth performance in the economy, however at some social cosL It has been noted that the sustainabiity of Ghana's economic acnd social development depends ultnately on proper and responsible management of the natural resource base and the environment in general. An attempt has been made to estimate the costM imposed on Ghanaians and the economy from envirornmental degradation in sectors such as ariculture, forestry, hunting, industry and mining. The wuiUlngness to pay by Ghanaians to avoid such negative Impacts has been estimated using market prics where available, or our best estmateswhere mnarket information Is unavailable or inappropriate. The pkiure Is ncomplete In a number of respecs Nevertheless, and conservative as these estimates may be. the costs of environmental degradation are significant. The total estimated annual losses in 1988 amounted to 41.7 billion cedis. the equivalent of 4 per cent of total GDP. The magnitude and pervasiveness of the losses inpose a strong case for taldng effective action to reduce the losses via the EAF. The incentives facing users of Gharkms nvionmrn alrmost all encourage Its exploiation, degradation and destruction. The Action Plan seeks to newalise or reverse these incentives, and to do so cost-effectively. ENVIRONMENTAL POUCY A National Environmental Policy is to be adopted to provide the broad framework for the implementation of the Action Plan. The policy aims at ensuring a sound managemrent of resources and the environment and to avoid any exploitation of these resources in a rmnner that rrught cause Irreparable damage to the environment. Specffically, the policy provides forr * maintenance of ecsystems and ecological proceses sse for tlhe functioning of tho blosphere; * sound management of natural resources and the environment; * protection of humans, animals and plants and their habItts; * guidance for healthy envronvmntul practices In the naional development effort; E., Environmental Action Plan Ix  ExecAlve Summafy EAP * integtion of environmental consideratlons In sectoral structural and soclo-economic planning at all levels; * cornmon approach to regional and global environmental Issues. Appropriate Incentives and sanctions wil be put In place to ensure compliance wIth the provisions d the Poilcy. The fundarnemtal aims d the Policy will be pursued and achieved through harmonisation and enforcement of relevant laws and treaties on the environment, and through the Implementation d the EAP. ISSUES Land Management The strength of Ghana's economy. and hence the inmegrity of the environment. is related to the efficient use and mnanagement of avaiiable land. The need for efficient management of land is the more urgent in the face ot an ever-increasing population and the growing demands in all the various activities based on land. Land resources and the processes of thelr development and use, however, have varying consequences on the environment. Ii A major aspect of the land ranagement problem in Ghana has to do with ownership and tenure. There is also no land use planning and therefore optimal land use is not attained. The situation has led to Land use conflicts and degradation all over the country. The issue of land management is recognised as a central point in any efforts to address environmental and resource problems in Ghana. Forestry and Widlilte One estimate Indicates that only about 2 mlion hectares of Ghana's cdsed forest actua;ly remain. Of this only about 0.4 million hectares lies outside land legally constituled as Forest Reserve. This situation has arisen largely as a result of the progressive conversion of forest lnds to other forms of land use, particulay agriculture. without any control. Logging and bushfires have also exerted thr toll an the forest The extraction of woodfuels. both for domestic and industrial use. furMer contribuxL to delorestation in Ghana. The depletion of forest resources is significant not only in terms of woocl WildlIfe habnas have been destroyed through various economic activiies. Including agriculture and logging, not to menition the effects of the high incidence of bush fires. Wid animal populations are also severely depleted as a result of the excessive exploitation tor meat And a wiae range of imponzant non-wood forest products important as sources of food. raw naterials for rural industries, medical treatment, etc., are becoming increasingly scarce. Water Management In its natural form water is fairly abundart in Ghana. although seasonal shortages are quite comnmon. Such shortages are due primanly to poor rmanagement and inadequate use of available technologies. From an environmental stand point, a primary principle, should be tha3t water should be available in a potable form for the entire population with .minimal effort, and that ts avaiability on a sustainable basis should be guaranteed. This unfortunately is not the case. Only about 30% of the population of Ghana can be said to have ready access to potable water. Water pollution. on its part. iOses significant threats to many people both in the fural areas as well as tt * urban centres. The problem arises from the discharge of all kinds of wastes into water bodies withoucanyformoftreatmenL Wastestrom agricutural actves also entervarious streamsand riers each year al overthe country. Water-borneandwater-related diseases are common in the rural areas. Problerms of water management in Ghana include the paucity of data on the resource itself, and also on related factors For istance, the absence of suitable maps and necessary relevant data hamper comprehensive assessment of avaiable water resources. x Environmental Action Plan  EAP Executive Sumnary Marine and coastal ecosystems The over-concentration of Industries In the coastal zone has aggravated the environmental stresses normally associd with lindustrlalisatiorL Prominent among the problems are industrial and urban pollution and over-crowding. Iftructure is stretched to break-down poinL All of these constitute a serious threat to fragle and sensitive coastal ecosystems. Uncorntrolled agricultural activiies in the zone also have degradational effects. Of particular concem Is the discharge of agricultural ch3micals and wastes released into the environment through run-off and direct discharges into the drainage catchments in the zone. The mos. readily apparent environmental problem of the coastal area is erosion. The most well known areas stifering serious erosion are the Keta Coast, the Ada-Foah Beach. the Labadi Beach. the Nkontompo Beach. and the Axim Shoreline. The rate of erosion in all these cases exceeds 1,5m per - annum. There are other less krown areas where the rate of erosion is about the same. Indus:rial pollution The forms of pollution most commonly associated with industrial activity are air, water, and noise pollution. Fortunately, the problems have not yet assumed very serious dimensions In Ghana. However, there is cause for concem. particularly in the industrial concentration srea of Accra-Tema. Over the years the quantity and diversity of Industrial wastes have increased, and there are hardly any waste recycling or proper managemrnt practices in the country. Improper siting of Industria instaliaons in relation to other activities and residential housing also poses considerable problems. Mining The main problems associated wiM surface mining In Ghana Include land devastation, son degradation, water and air quality changes. Gold processing also has deleterious environmental effects. The use of cyanide as the main chemical for processing eventually leads to the pollution of rivers and water bodies. The roasting process also results in the discharge of large quantifies of arsenic ito the atmosphere. Underground mining has. on Its part, given rise to problems with water quality change and potential for subsidence, especially if underground mine water is pumped to the surface. The health and safety hazards to miners are numerous and may indude accidents (rock falls. mine firs, haldage accidernts shaft accidents etc.), gas poisoning, hightemperawureand humidity effects. andvarious occupational diseases. Hazardous chemicals For many years the importation, nufndacture, disibution, handling and use of potentially toxic chemicals in Ghana has proceeded withoit much consideration to the possible environmental consequences. This poses considerable hazard to human health The problem Is the more serious because the quantities and types of chemicals in the country are not ftdly known. Human settlements Rapid population growth coupled with the concentration of Inrrastructurl faciles and job opportunities In the urban areas has resulted in the movementofr mral people Into urban centres. The InRux of people into cties and other urban centres has brought considerable stess on the already inadequate urban infrastructure, including the shortage of suiable housing and oher basicamenties> The situation has led to the development of sluns and the consequent degradation of the ,:.bn. enrironment, causing deterioration of large areas in urban centres The environmental problemns associted with urban settlements In Ghana are those that have direct bearing on human healfth, such as basic sanitaton and disposal of waste, the shortage of essental facilltes, and rampant disregard of approved land use alocaons Oher serious problerns associated with urban life are noise, overcrowvng, poor and Inadequate tnsportatkon Town Environmental Acton Plan xl  EAP Execuie Summary planning processes seem unable to keep pace with the rate o expansion, with the result that atonal land use becomes exwrmely difficult or even impossible. Problems of rural seaements are relatively simple and are concmernd maiy with basic saniatIon and good adequate water supplies rathr than the proper nmnagement of space It Is a sad cornmentary that despite the onormous conMIbutlon of rural production to the national economy, the benefits of national development do not reach rural setmlemens and thelr Inhabtants. They have poorer share of services. Infrastructure and public hwestrnefts generaly. POUCY ACTIONS The EAP provides a coherent framework for Interventions deemed necessary to safeguard the environment. Govemment wil undertake the foUowing policy actions, among others that mnay be deemed essential: Resource Management Land Management .Esta ish a body to be responsible for policy, planning, co-ordination and monitoring of land-based developmrent programmes and projects In Ghana; * Institute land use planning to ensure harmony in the allocation and use of land for dilfer- erit purposes; * adopt lard tenure; iand rnanagement policy and establish appropriate institutional frame- work-; * strengthen the legal and administrative machinery for land acquisition and tenure, inlud- Ing proper maintenance of land title and transaction records; review, enforce, update. and approve a stronger anti-bushfire iaw-. Forery and wildlife * Adopt forest management pdlicy: * establish protected woodlands; * adopt revised conservation laws and regulations; * adopt range management policy; * register Charcoa bumers and commnercial wood producers. Water management * Establish the proposed Water Resources Commnission; * adopt Proposed Water Law; Madne : adopt policy ftmworkfor Me etaction of water for the dilferent uses Irtegrated plan- | ~~~~~~ning for fiver basins, and the conltrol of waste discharge Into water bodies. ) pt estish watersheotection areas; : Mul~no *nid coastl acomaon o Adopt fistieds rnangemera politcy, * adopt proposed legisation and regutOons on coastal zone managermna s estabish prtected areas in coastal wetands; Human etements * Adopt human setements policy law to provide a general framework for planning and man- agbi seuements, xU . Environmental Action Plan  LAP Executive SummarY * estabilsh a Human Settlements Unit to act as the central authority for the planning, devel- opment. improvement and management of human settlements; * review, update and approve the National Physical Development Framework; Pollution Control * Prepare and adopt regulations for environmental control of mining operations; * prepare and adopt regulations for environmental control of industrial operations: * adopt proposed legislation to control the import and use of pesticides and other hazard- ous chemicals; * adopt revised Factories. Offices and Shops Act; * adopt revised incentive system for siting of small scale industries. * adopt incentive system for greater energy efficiency in industry. POUCY INSTRUMENTS Forthe successful Implementation of the National Environmental Policy, necessary steps will be taken , to develop appropriate instruments geared towards: * improving the scientitic base of environmental policy, among other things. through appro- priate research programmes; * the assessment of the potential impacts of certain public and private projects on the en- vironment. and the integration of the environmental dimension in national policies; e establishment and implementation of appropriate standards and guidelines so as to en- sure an acceptable level of public health and environmental protection; * harmonisation of appro- priate legal instruments; irnmproved access to information on the environment. Legisblion will be enacted to prescribe the necessary environmental quality standards and guidelines for mining and manufacturing industries. To this end Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) will be required for all new investments that would be deemed to affect the quality ot the environmenL Penalties and Incentives will be instituted to encourage the adoption of environmentally sound production technologies to discourage pollution. INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING To enhance the effectiveness of the EPC - as the custodian of the national environment, the co-ordinator of all activities relating to the environment, and the lead agency for the implementation of the Action Plan - Govemment wIl review the status of the Councl. Including Its placement within the administrative machinery of the country. The EPC will be entmusted with the responsibility for setting envimnmental quality standards as well as for ensuring the enforcement of these standards. In addition other agencies to be involved in the implementation of the EAP will be strengthened to ensure the efficient perfomance of their assigned roles. IMPLEMENTATION The EAP is to be implemented over a ten-year period, from 1991 to 2000. The necessary policy nstruments and structures will be put in place during the 1991-1992 start-up phase. A variety of Individual projects will be implemented by various national agencies. Environmental Action Plan XIII  CHAPTER 1 .I' INTRODUCTIDN Background Ghana abounds In natural resources which have played a very importart role in the agricultural and Industrial development efforts of the country since the attainment of Independence. However, a point has been reached when it Is necessary to balance economic grwth with rational management of the resources to ensure that the resource base is not eroded In the process of developmentr Public concem about envIronmenal degradation in Ghana dimwaed during the long dry spell and rvaging bushfires of 1983184. Ironically this was the single enwironmental event that set the stage for a concerted national effort to check environmental degradation. Several efforts had, however, been made In the past to address the problems of the environment Of specific relevance to the present intiative are the following activities: Preparation of a National Oi Spill Contigency Plan (1985); Preparation of a National Plan of Action to Combat Desestification (1986); National conference on Resource Conservation for Ghana's sustainable development (1987); I, Draft National Environmental Protection Programme (1987) based on priorities identified through a series of regional and distric! fora organised over the period 1986-87. A Sustainable Development Strategy for Ghana All Over the worid, peopie and nations are starting to recognize that ervironment and development issues are inextricably intedinked. World attention was first focused on environmental issues at the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, in which Ghana took an active part In 1973. Ghana created Its own Environmental Protecion Council (EPC), the first goveming body in Africa to focus on issues of environmentai ranagemenL Through the leadership of t.e EPC. with support from a broad base of local participants, this Environmental Action Plan has been formulated. The Plan addresses stf to issues of sustainable development as defined by the World Commissionl on Environment and Development in 1987. 'The concept of sustainable development provides a framework for the integration of environment policies and development strategies... Sustainable development seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future. Far from requiring the cessaion of economic growth. It recognizes that the problems of poverty and underdevelopment cannot be solved unless we have a new era of growth in which developing countries play a large role and reap large benefits." Ghana has achieved a remarkable sucCeSS in reversing the process of economic decline through the Economic Recovery Programme of 1983 and its successors. However, this success has not been without its environmental as well as social costs. The present strength of the economy derives principally from expon earnings in agriculture, mining and forestry. Food crop and livestock production must continue to grow in order to feed a popuiation of 15 milion people, growing at 3% .per year. Umits on the capacty of remaining agrictwiral land to absorb this growing population imply that future growth must provide employmrent opportunities In domestic manufacturing and services, and that the population wil come to be Increasingly concentated in urban centres. These projected panems of development offer both opportunifies and constraints with respect to the environment Intensive use of savanra land through high-input irrigation, and extensive use for grazing and cropping on marginal lands, are helping to create massive problems of soil and water degradationand even desertification in the north. Ghana's rich forest and wldlife resources are rapidly diminishing and may disappear entirely i their management is not drastically improved. Water and mineral resource development projects bring in their wake problems of environmentaly-related disease and social disruption. Improper use of hazardous chemicals in both agricultme and Industry Environmental Action Plan  t ChIptr on*e SI iUw__e- creates additionrl threats to human huealt and safety. Fishery resoures and sites of histoic alnd cultural importance are negativelyaffected by uncontrolled developmen In the sensitive coastal zone. The Environmental Action Plan i- Isnended to address these problems. not by caling a halt to development, but by redirecting development efforts Into more enmronmentally sustainable programs and prarcUces. Implernraton of the EAP will help to protect and preserve the resoure base for use by futue generations as well as the present one. Assessment of the potenti environmental Irnparts of development projects and planning In advance to mitigate or enhance these impacts will decrase environmental costs to the economy and make more cost-effective use of the country's human and financIW capital. Evaluaton of alternatve uses for the country's land and water resources and planning for multi-purpose use wi maximize the efficiency of future investmenrts. Finally, the promotion of popular participadon In planning, evaluating. and implementing environment and development Initiatives will help to create a sound social and poitical climate for sustained economic growth in the future. SCOPE AND PROCESS In March 1988, the Govemment tasked a group of experts to review existing policies related to environmental protection in Ghana, and to propose a strategy to address the key issues. Induding deforesmalon, deterioration In soil quality. and better management of renewable resources. The Task Force's work evolved into the preparation of an Environmental Action Plan to put In place a comprehensive and integrated national strategy to deal with the identified environmental problems of the country. For the preparation of the EAP. Workdng Groups were set up in Jiuy 1988 to address areas of concem under the following sectors: . land management; * forestry and widlife; * water managemernt: * marine and coastal ecosysterms; * mining, manufacturing Inrdustries and hazardous chemicals; * human setemntrs. A seventh group, made up of the leaders of the sectoral working groups. addressed legal and3 Insttuoa issues, cross- sectoral, environmentWal educaion. and environm ntal daa systems and monitorng. The groups were tasked to under2ake the following acttes wihin each sector. a) Assess the state of knowledge; b) Identify data gaps and addrItinal research needs; c) Review existing legislaton and policy recommendations that have been made in the past. and proposing a set of needed poliy actions; d) Make proposals for montoring enironmental change in relton to development acties; e) Review projects underthe 1988-1989 PIP and maw recommendations on their environmental suitablity or otherwise; and f RFeview institutional arrangements forthe implernertation of recommended policies. identfying gap. overlaps, and iradequaces, and makgng recommndtions tor approprie stional strengthening. A dft sttgy for action nthe ernvronm was dram up by the worng groups. In Januay 1989. a two-day review work-session was held to discuss e drfts. Foowing this the workin groups reconvened to rvise the drafts In te light of the suggestirs and comments emanating from the work-sessiorL- The suggested revisions were effced durin the second phase of the EAP process. which culminated In a naional conference In June 1989 to dIsus the draft proposals and to seek a wider public pareipation In the Plan preparation. Some 200 partciparts representing a wide -2 \~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - -. ,.,,,,.-  introduction Chaptr One cross-section of Interests, including members of district assemblies, representatives of non-govemmental organisations and govemmemt tunctonaries, took part in the conference. The conference adopted the Action Plan In principle and charged the EPC with the responsibility of Oinalisang the document, taking Into account the views expressed atthe conference and anythat would be submitted to i later. A major task for the third phase of the EAP prepaation was the incorporation of economic dimensions into the draft Plan, partily wtth regard to national overall economic srategy, and sectoral development strategies. It was necessary to identify specific projects for implementltion and to estimate the total cost for the Plan implementation. There was also need to identriy and assign ntirional responsibulties, and to revise or draft essential legislation and regulations to make the implementaalon of the plan effectve. The Envrronmental Action Plan will be presented in fourvolumes. The current volume presents critical environmental issues in Ghana and actions recommended underthe PlarL The Plan includes adoption of the proposed National Environmental Policy (Chapter 3), action to address egal and Institutional Issues (Chapter4) actionsi the areas of natural resource managemerit (ChapterS), and in managing the built environment (Chapter 6). It also Includes the Implementation of comprehensive programs In environmental education (Chapter 7) and environmental monltorin (Chapter B). A summary ot the Action Plan is given in Chapter5. and the proposed implementation strategy in Chapter 1 0. The second volume of this report presents the draft legislaton which is recommended for Government to adopt as part of the Plan This voiume includes the following documents: 1. Restructuring of EPC 2. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 3. Revised Forestry Policy 4. Revised Conservation Legislation 5. Revised Factory. Shops and Offices Act 6. Legal Framework for Coastal Zone Management 7. Legislation to Contirl Pesticides 8. Legislation to establish a Water Resources Commission Thethird volume, to be published in February 1991, wil pesent the details of the proposed investment program. A fourth volume, to be published together with Volume l11, will presen the reports of thg various working groups and other background material. In addition. several sudies have been completed as part of Plan prepartion. They include: Evaluating the Costs of Enfnronrnental Degradation in Ghana. Report on Land Managemerit Systems in Ghana Coastal Zone Indicative Plan Ernvronerntal Guidelines for Distrkt Assemblies Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment Remnant Woodlands Recmmended for Protection Environmental Education Curriculum for Prirnary and Secondary Scoods -hese reports are available for corn=uitain at EP?. :nvironmental Acffon Plan 3 _____ __... .~p  CHAPTER 2 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT IN GHANA Current State of the Ghana Economy During the period 1970-1983. poor weather. Insttuonal rigidities. inappropriate economic policies. and intemal and etemal shocks all combined to result In a persistent decline In Ghana's economy. GDP fell atan avmage rate of 1.3% per year. During these years. all key sesctors, agriculture. industry, and services, registered negative average annual growth rates. Population. however. grew at a rapid rate during this period. An Intercensr growth ratedof 2.6% per annum was recorded for the period 1970-1984. Undfficial sources indicate that the growth rate was in fact between Z9% and 3.1% per annum - the result of dedines In the mortaity radt combined with a high fertility rate. The combination of very rapid population growth and prolonged decline In aggregate economnic peformance resdted in a continuous and severe decline in average per capita incomes. At the same time the mounting population pressure on the country's natural resource base and the absence of incentives for prudent and sustainable mranagement of these resources comrbined to fuel an accelerating degradation of the environment - both natural and man-made. In April 1983. the Government launched an ambitious program of economic policy reforms designed to arrest the decline and to put the economy on a positive growth path. The Economic Recovery Program (ERP) was given both financial and technical support by the World Bank. the IMF, and other donors. The components of the reform efforts involved a broad constellation of stabilization and growth-nducing measures; viz.: iQ depreciation and floating of the cedi to about one tenth of its 1983 value to stimulate exports and to narow the dfferential between the parallel and official rates respectively i. prvatization of and introduction of cost-recovery schemes in parastatal enterprises i to enhance er efficiency and proftability; iii) reduction in the size and scope of the public sector as well as an expansion of the role of the private sector in the production and marketing of goods and services; iv) liberalization of credit and monetary arrangements; and v) creation of an enabing errvironment for foreign and domestic Investment With these measures fimly In place. rea GDP. for the first time in a long period. registered a positive growth rate of about 8.6% In 1984. For the period 1984-88 GOP recorded an average growth rate of about 5% perannumLPositveoveral annual GDP growth continued in 1989(G.1%) and sofarin 1990 i orecastat4%). GOP growth projections for the next decade are on the order of 5% per annum. The positive growth peromance brought about by the ERP has, however, entaied Its social costs. Because of the Governments concern aboult the impact of economic reforms on the.poor and the susrainabiity of reform the Program of Actions to Mitigate the Social Costs of Adjustment (PAMSCAD) was introduced. PAMSCAD Involves projects with a strong poverty alleviation focus aimed at specific target groups: i) rural households, particularly In the northem regions; i) urban poor (unemployedlunderemplyed) and iii) retrenched workers Economic Development and Environmentally Sustainable Growth The sustaRity of Ghan's economic and social development depends utimately on proper and responsible management of the natural resource base and on the environmert In general. The environment is complernentary to economic growth but requires a broader appreciation of the synergism between forces which generate growth and those that involve conservation of the natral resource base. The widely held view that there is an inevitable tradeoff between growth and environmental degradation is miseading. There are such tradeofs in the shor run - but in the longer tn. the tactors which induce growth must be reconciled with the integrity of the natural resource base if growth is to be sustained and to benefit future generations. In Ghana. economic growth has been based primariy on the use of its renewable and non-renewable natural resources: forests, soil. water. biogass. and 4 Environmental Action Plar  Economic Development & Environment In Ghanm Chapter Two other elemental resources. Proper management of this natural capital' contributes significantly to regenerative growth and the long-run maintenance of consumption levels consistent with healthy and productive lives. Irresponsible attiudes to the natural resource base result In environmental degradation which is likely to have grave consequences on the future welfare, if not actual survival. of human civilization, animal. and plant species. The pressures on natural systems in Ghana are significanL It is likely that If adequate Interventions are not made now, pressures could build up to result in a breakdown in such natural systems. thereby ensuing in irreversible poverty. At present, the problems confronting the natural resource base are numerous: the loss of productive sol and biomass due to inappropriate agricultural practices, the loss of forests as a result of farmer encroachment, extensive logging, fueiwood extraction and charcoal production; the degradation of range and pasture lands due to overgrazing; the irresponsible release of pollutants into the air and water. the pressures of popuLdation growth on a limited carrying capacity; and the overburdening of urban systems as a result of rural to urban migration and natural increase. thereby resutting in air and water pollution. congestion, poor sanitation. and disease. Sustainable growth and development in Ghana vdl depend on the degree to which the rate of natural resource extraction is balanced against the rate of resource replenishment Individual Ghanaians must be made to realize that it makes economic sense to conserve the environment from which they derive their livelihood. Economic Justification for an Environmental Action Plan F In Ghana. environmental degradation affects production in agriculture, industry and services. It arises as a - neither desirable nor unavoidable- by-product of the processes of resource extraction and utilization in the procuction of goods and services in the various sectors An attempt has been mnade to estimdtethe costs imposed onthe Ghanaian economy by environmental degradation inthe different I sectorns. The willingness to pay by Ghanaians to avoid or prevent such negative impacts has been estimattid using market prices where available, or using some proximate estimates where market Information is not avaiable. The picture is incomplete in a number of respects. Nevertheless, even using very conservative assumptions, the costs of environmental degradation are dearly significant Table I at the end of this section gives the ranicng and sectors in terms of prioties for intervention and the associated costs imposed on the economy in the absence of any remedial or preventive action'. Degradation related to crop and livestock production activities imposes the greatest cost to the Ghanaian economy, with a total estimated annual cost of at least 28.8 bilion cedis. These costs are largely attributable to productivity losses arising from sod degradation. soid erosion and loss of tee cover. and to a lesser extent costs resulting from rangeland degradation due to the grazing of livestock. The next economic activity that suffers a significantly high environmertal cost is foresty. The total cost borne by the country as a result of the loss of forests through fire. logging. fuelwood extraction. charcoaling and agricultural encroachment has been estimated at 10.8 biWlion cedis per year There are other costs which arise from the disappearance of mre species of anikals and plants, the loss of non-wood forest products, the reduced benefits from research on sources of medicine. etc. Significant 1: costs also arise from the disturbance of watersheds which lead to siation and drying of water bodies and the consequent desertification. These costs have not been estinated. but localized evidence suggests that such costs are significanL Unfortunately, it has not been possible as yet, ior lack of adequate data to quantffy the costs of environmental resource degradation arising out of mining and manufactuing actvies Estmates based on observation of damuge to humans, animals, vegetation and water bodies support the case that such costs are substantial. A natrik has been developed to describe the impact of these and other economic acivities on the receiving media (animate and inanimate resources). Some efforts I These estimates were developed for 1988, the most recent year for which sufficierit data are avaiable. Environmental Action Plan 5  Chapter Two Economic Deveopmemn a cmnvmiaw.a.... have been made, however, to estimate the costs of environmental degradation from such activities as mining. manufacturing. and urbanization by evaluating their impacts an human health. These costs have been captured in terms of lost eamings, cost of medical resources (doctors, nurses, technicians. equipment. etc.). and cost of drugs. The total cost is estimated to be as high as 3.8 billion cedis (f not more) per annum. This estimate obviously understates the true cost of illnesses arising from environmental degradation, because secondary effects (e.g. Impacts on pregnancies. etc.) and the numberof environmentally related premature deathsare not accounted for. Moreover, even thedirect costs estimated above are an understatement because it has not been possible to capture the costs incurred by all persons alfected. It should also be noted that longer-term costs to the economy attiibutable to environmentally Induced health problems - especially long-term losses In labour productivity- have not yet been quantified. What emerges clearlyfrom this analysis is that Ghana's economy sustains losses due to environrnental degradation that amount to a minimum of 41.7 billion cedis annually - equivalent to 4% of total GDP in 1988. It is important to note that it Is only since 1984 that GDP growth rate has aLtained an average of about 4% per year. If nothing is done to arrest the processes which degrade the environment. Ghana loses at least 4% of the potential output ot its economy each year. In other words, Ghana's economic growth. even when it has been clearly positive as measured by conventional methods of national income accounting methods, has been achieved almost entirely by 'mining' the country's natural resource base and thereby gradually destroying the foundation for future sustained growth and developmenL The significant magnitude, persistence. and pervasiveness of environmental losses provides a strong case for taki ig action to reduce the damage through the Environmental Action Plan. Towards a Remedial Incentive Framework Environmental assets are conserved or destroyed for a variety of reasons, but an important - often the most important-reason is that it is in the immediate self-interest of individuals. communities. agencies and firms to conserve or destroy. When it is in the short term interest of users to destroy Ghana's environmental endowment. it is very difficult for positive policy to prevail. What is necessary to redress and reverse the severity of the problerns of environmental degradation is not necessanlV more taws, regulations and enforcement mechanics, but greater reliance on incentive mechanisms that wil induce the users of natural resources to perceive that i is in their self-interest to mfanage this resource base in a sustainable way. Economic incentives which promote environmentally sound production and consumption activities are superior to approaches that rely on regulatory measures The fomer are far more cost-efective and easier to administer than the latter, moreover, they are largely self-enforcing". The use of incentives wil encourage individual Ghamnaians to manage voluntarily and wisely the enviroxnment on the basis of prospective rewards. whereas regulatory and enforcement schemes rely on involuntary t (if not "coercive') measures which are prone to generate adversarial outcomes. An important element in environmental policy must therefore be to deterrnine whether, and to what extent, the incentives facing those using the environmert encournge them to destroy it and i so. how to redirect incentives so that conservation is encouraged. On a positive note, a serious attempt to provide an effective incentive framework for a benign management af the ervironment wil have to address the issue of ownership, control and use of resources, the transparency of rules and claims. the existence of effective functioning of markets and the issue of externalities. The Role of Ownership It is one of the axioms of economics that, if resources are not owned, economic efficiency will not be mfaximised;the inceivnesencourage over-use, and ultimatelydestruction ofthe resource. Ownership * in this contxt can be defined as the ability and willingness to limit use andlor access. Ownership can be exercised equally by the private and the public sector. by individual or group. aear. undispumable rigtts of ownership. usufruct rights. etc. to productive assets, especially to land resources. including the right to bequeath to one's descendants, to sell, to otherwise transfer ownership or certain rights of use to others fincluding wives, widows. chfidren. parents, business partners. strangers) are incentives which ensure responsible mnanagement of the resource. 6 Environmental Action Plan  Economic Delopmen & Environmet in Ghana Chapter Two ' The transparency of the rules and claims which govem resource use can also Induce proper or improper use of the resources. When farmers and communities are cerain about the extent of their piots and communal lands and of their rights to these. they will more likely assume responsibility to prevent abuse than n there Is contusion with respect to the ru:es. Transparency of riles and cdaims j enables owners of land or natural resources to exercise the terrttorial Imperative" and to protect these assets against abusive .encroachers as well as to safeguard the inteogrty of these resources in perpetuity. Functioning Markes The existence and access to functioning markets for iand, labour, capit/credttL inputs and outputs are imiportant for proper mnanagenent of resources. If markets for factors of production do noL exist or are imperfect. then there are no right signals as to the use of the factor, such as land. This could lead to misuse. t*. Access to these markets, unrestrained by factors, such as membership in a particular community, gender or adminisive barriers such as input or output markeing monopolies or price controls enhances the Incentive structure towards conservation. If paricular groups of people, such as females do not have access to technology or credit then they might undertake agricultural practices which are environmentally destructive. if famiers could have remuneraive reward for their activities. then it could enhance their choices for environmentally friendly practices. EXTERNALMES It may be economically and financially beneficial for an individual producer or consumer to deplete or poilute an environmetal resource because the cost of this depletion or poUlution is borne bv someone else or by society at large or by future generations. These externalities arise because Individual economic agents face different time horizons. Whie factories which pollute water bodies or the atmosphere care about the short-nun maximization of profits or minimization of costs, society which cares about a sound environfent takes both a short-and long-term view at what happens to the environmenL When such externalities occur, public policy that seeks to ensure environmental resource conservation and integrity overthe long run will need to consider ways to deal with them. This might taicke a vaiety of forms regulatory and enfocement mechanisms are orny one possible set of lnsruments nat can be appied. Other inentives could be instituted. For instance tax breaks could be gven to factories that ine new benign technologies or txes increased -for alternative technoloies that pollute the environment, For instance Achimnta Brewery that pollules the Odaw river could enjoy such a facilty f they were to install technologies that could reduce its effluents significantly or treat their polutants. Sometimes, temporary subsidies could be given to activities which use alternative and more resource-friendly technologies up tO the poit where It is no longer necessary or dif act compensation paid to certain resource users for foregoing specific types of resource exploitation. For instance, tobacco inustry that uses a lot of wood in the Brong Ahafo area t and hence causes a lot of deforestation could enjoy such subsidy If theywere to undertake a mfethod v of tobacco curing without using wood. They could also be encouraged through subsidies to establish their own woodlots or taxes placed on them for using exsting wood to enable the villagers reafforesL| With regard to cleaning up lagoons - Korle and Chemu - which are now vitually dead. It would be possible to institute a system of tmdable permits, which would work as follows: The inputs which the I lagoons could absorb without environmental damfage - say 50% of the existing levels - would be determnined. Each emitter would be given license' to emit up to 50% of their existing levels (to be e achieved over. say,a2year period). Thereatter, if any ofthe existingfirmswanttoexceedtheircurren allocation, or if new firms want to set up, and use the assimilative capacity of Ut lagoon, they wals p have to buy our the equhivent in pollution rights from exing holders. Thus a market in pollution rights is created, the total loading is stabiised. A parficular industy can Increase its loads, but orny at a price, and the system tends to be efficint and largely self-regulatng. id Br Examples of how incenives affect the erMronment in various sectors of the economy are indicated ,s below: in Environmental Acton Plan 7  Chapter Two Economic Development & Enmironmenm n unmsm. Agricultural Land The land tenure system in Ghana covers a spectrum of arrangements. Including outright private ownership, long-term lease, short-term rental (including share-cropping), community and open-access. Although there Is an extensive - and generally highly legalistic - literature on this subject nane of It addresses the central environmental issues: to what extent do the tenure arrangements allow effective ownership - the abiiity and willingness to limit access - to be exercised? Tenurial securitr Is perhaps the single most powerful Incentive to prudent management of land resources. Conersely. insecurity of tenure inevitably results In abuses and/or misuses of land. Also directly relevan: to conservation is the question of the duration of tenure. Tree and soil conservation requires that the cusiodianr of the land have an incentive to invest in the long-term future: to plant trees, to build terrac-c erd conserve water demands sacrifice today so that benefits will be yielded in the future. It is most unlikely that the confusing amalgam of tenure arrangements now prevaiing will result in resource conservation. The deficiencies are perhaps most striking in the Northem grazing lands, where relatively open-access conditions prevail, but the problem - and the associated destructive incentives - appears to be widespread. Deforestation Incentwes which cause this problem range from the non-competitive pricing o wood. to inappropriate and ineffective tenurial arrangements. The State is the legal owner of the forests, but ownership has only been sporadically enforced, to a substantial extent, the forests have. de factn been open-access resources. Logging is undertaken by private companies on a concession basis; the terms of the concession (and the associated enforcement) have not encouraged resource conserving L'nhavio Tr, and neither havethe verylowprices charged. Incentivesto remedythe problem could indude raising the silvicutural and royalty fees to competitive levels, encouraging the use of improved technologies in extraction and/or processing of wood, through tax incentives to wood-based processing industries and charging for incidental destruction of trees in the process of extraction. The conservation of the unique flora and fauna of Ghana is Important for the global community. because it keeps options open - for genetic enrichment of food crops, for medicinal value. for basic research - for the future. However, unless such biota have immediate value for food. medicine. etc. their conservation will not be of interest or concem to local dwellers; thus, the incentive facing the loca1 custodians difer from that of the world community. WVidlife Loss In Ghana hunting of wldlife is mainly for meat. Therefore factors which result in this problem arise from lack of alternative sources of proteinimeat or wildlife by-products ardlor ignorance of better techniques of hunting. Individuals who engage in activities which promote livestock production should be given incentives through tax concessions to produce more so as to reduce the demand for wildlife. Water Contamination The problem of externality leads to misuse and abuse of water. Incentives, such as creation of market for pollution right outined above could be used to reduce pollution by industries, mining, and households. Human SetUements Factors which cause environmental degradation arising from human settements are unplanned population growth along with inappropriate or inadequate spatial planning. Incentives should be created to reverse the tide of rural to urban migration through the provision of comparable soclal amenities in rural areas and creation of access to markets by rural dwellers. Fscal measures (eg properrytax, gasoline taxes, selective leases) coUld be used to induce bettertown planning and fines imposed on irresponsible disposal of solid/liquid wastes into common property (eg. lagoons, stre park. etc.) Environmental Action PlanI -_ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ -~,f  Economic Devlopment & Envionment In Ghina Chapter Two PRIORITmATION OF INVESTMENTS IN ThE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN The inwestment projects In the EAP have been grouped under broad sectors of Agriculture. Urbanization. Water Resources and Industry. There are two sets of matrices: Annex A and B. Annex A shows the Impact of economic acsivities on receiving media, such as people, animals, vegetation. water (fish) and air. Annex B tables show investment projects, their objectives, activities. impiementing agencies and duration of InvestmenL The following criteria have been used to list all the projects In order of priorities. 1. Where projects are in sectors which have been found to be experiencing the highest environmental degradaion and the extent to which such projects can reduce the cost of degradation. 2. Where projects are well identified In termns of clear-cut objectives and actfities. On the study of the cost of degradation to the economy by Convery and Tutu, the order In terns of sectors with greater cost of degradation to the economy was agricufture (soil and nutrient loss through erosion, grazing). forestry, health effects from urbanization. mining and industry and tourisrm Thus. the projects are considered from sectoral level, namely, agrinuLture. urbanization, water resources. and industry. Agriculture On agriulture induding forestry and wildlife. projets which prevert wind and soil arosion are considered as very imponant. There are a total of 18 projects out of which 6are in the 1990-92 Public investment Programme (PIP). These projects can be grouped broadly into a) soil protection and soll nutrlient replenishment, reafforestation and energy saving technologic- b) monitoring and management of forest resources including trees and wildlife. The projects In a) are the priority ones since they go to reduce the lrgest component of the cost of degradation. The projects in b) generally coudd be undertaken through the insttutional strengthening that are on-going. Projects wil be indicated by their code as they appear in either the EAP or PIP. The few proiects that are In the PIP wI be Indicated as such. The proiects are ordered in order of top priority. Thus i only one project has to be undertaken the first one goes. The first 10 projects can be seen as very importanLt The investments in order d priority are as follows: 1. Program for son feity regeneration and maintenance(RCMO2). 2. Sol elrtlIty and productivty (RCM 03) 3. National Agroforestry project (DCS 011/88) PIP. 4. Utflization of strawand other agncutural waste products for dry season feeding (AHP 010/88) PIP. 5. Charca production study (STR 05). 6. Feasilty study of wood saving technology (STR 07). 1 7. Subri industrial plant project (FOR 012/89) PIP. S. Establishment of Strip Plntation (FOR 008188) PIP. S. Drought resistancetolerance In cocoa (CMB 005189) PIP. 10. Soi conservation education and training ',cR 15) I1. Forests and woodland monitoring system (ESS 04). Environmental Action Plan 9  Chaptw Two Economic Development & Environment In Ghana 12. Improvement of classified forests (RCM 08) 13. Desertification control plan of action (RCM 12). 14. Widlife monitoring system (ESS 05). 15. Widlife management project (FOR 007190) PIP. 16. Range monitoring pmgram (ESS 03). 17. Range mnanagement program (RCM 04). 18. Improved managed of parks and reserves (RCM07). Industry Although it was not possible to put costs to the environment due to lack of data as to the extent of pollution taking place. indusuy which mainly constitute mining and manufacturing as tar as pollution is concemed has cost to the environment as depicted in one of the matrices. Projects in order of priority are those which can assess the extent of pollution. technologies which reduce pollution and awareness creation. Those that emphasize control are least priority since they already have institutions charged to do so. They may only need strengthening. The first set of five projects are the most important 1. Environmental impact assessment (ESS 12). 2. GIS-based environmental monitoring system (ESS 02). 3. Air quality monitoring system (ESS 03). 4. Envimnmental aspects of mining activities (POC 01). 5. Strengthening local training insitutions (ESS 15). 6. Environmental awareness programme (Public awareness to protect natural resources) (ESS 13). 7. Incentive systems for greater energy efficient industry (MBE 07). 8. Strengthening of factory inspectorate (POC 02). 9. Industrial chemicals control system (POC 04). 10. Air pollution control programme (POC 06). U.rbanization There are 11 projects out of whicch 2 are in the 1990192 PIP. Projects which deal with urban waste management and decongesting of cities are top priority because they tend to improve sanitation wfhch will reduce disease and hence cost of health. In this sector there are lots of projects which soan over work thaS is already being undertaken or where the activities are such that it cannot be accomplished at a reasonable time. The first five projects are the most importanL 1. Improvement in the solidr waste and nighsdl disposal systems in Accra (MBE 05). 2. Preparation of 1125.000 scale maps (ESS 01). 3. Urban II and other district projects (OUR 002189) PIP. 4. Accra district rehabiitation project (UR 001/89) PIP. 5. Reduction In energy consumption in urban transportation (STR 08). 10 Environmental Action Plaj  Ecnomic Developmet & Envionment In Ghana Chapter Tw0 6. Improvement of infrastructure in secondary cities (MBE 08). 7. Structure plan for regional capitals and special areis (MBE 03). 8. District structure plans (MBE 01). 9. Street and mnarket foods protection policy and study (STR 10). 0. Approprite technology for waste disposal and treatment (STR 12). 11. National physical development plan (MBE 02). Water Resources There are 7 projects with one in both the 1990/92 PIP and the EbP. Projects that reduce pollution or that improve water quality, or assess extent of pollution are top priority. The first three projects are most Important 1. Water quality monitoring system (ESS 08) EAP and PIP. 2. Environmental impacts of water based actties (STR 13). 3. River basin water mnaster plan (STh 02). 4. Impact of inland drainage and land based poflution source on costal zone (STP 03). 5. Monitoring of marine polution (ESS 11). 6. Coastal protection works (RCM 13). 7. Coastal zone management (STR 04). m i ' Environmental~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A.InPln  CHAPTER 3 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POUCY A. PREAMBLE Attempts over the years to address environmental problems In Ghana have been largely ad-hoc and cosmetic, or at best sector-oriented and thereore limit in scope. It has become evidern that the body of existing legislation on the various aspects of the environment Is Inadequate and unimplemented, and many provisions have no bearing on present-day realties as well as the aspirations of the people of this country. There is clearly the need for a new direction and thrust In national development efforts to ensure that plans aimed at Improving the standard and quality of life take due cognizance of environmental considerations. The economic prosperity of Ghana depends on the maintenance of a high quality environment. The losses being sustained at present reduce the living standards of the present generation. If the urban and rural environments are degraded to the extent that Ghana Is not an attractive iocation for the growth industries of the future - information-led technologies. high quality food produ"ton. tourism - then the prosperity of future generations wDlI also be prejudiced by today's irrespoi &sIblltles. B. DEFIN"lONS In the context of this document "Environmenr' is understood as comprising the whole set of natural or biophysical and man-made or socio-cultural systems in which man and other organisms live, work and interact By environmental protection is meant all the interventions that may be deemed necessaryto malntain a high level of environmental quality. and which at the same time enhances sustainable socio-economic development C. OBJECTIVES The ultimate aim of the National Environmental Policy of Ghana Is to improve the surroundings, liing conditions and the quality of life of the entire citzenry, both present and future. It seeks to ensure reconciliation between economic development and natural resource conservation. to rmake a high quality environmernt a key element supporting the country's economic and social development SpeciRcally, the policy seeks to: * maitain ecosystems and ecological processes essential for the functioning of the bio- sphere; * ensure sound management of natural resources and the environment; * adequately protect humnans. animals and plants. their biological communities and habitats against harmful impacts and destructive practices, and preserve biological diversty = guide development in accordance with quality requirements to prevent, reduce, and as far as possible, eliminate polilution and nuisances; * integrate environmental considerations in sectoral structural and socio-economic plan- ning at the national, regional. district and grassroots levels; * seek common solutionsto environmental problems in West Africa. Africa and the world at large. D. PRINCIPLES For the effective implementation of the National ErrAronmental Policy the following principles will be applied: * optimum sustainable yield in the use of resources and ecosystems; * use of most cost-effertive means to achieve environmental objectives; 12 Environmental Action Plan .~~ . * * 4~~~~~~~~~.  r I Natiorl Environm.ntl Policy Chapter Three * USe of Incentives In addition to regulatory measures: * delegatIon of decision-maidng and action tD the most appropriate level of govemment; * polluter pays for the cost of preventing and eliminating pollution and nuisances caused by him; id * public participation In environmental decision-making; le Id International co-operation. n E. POUCY STATEMENT fe Environmerntal protection in Ghana should be guided by the preventive approach, that Is, with the re ognition that socro-economic developments must be undertaken in such a way as to avoid t, ae cr ition of environmeital problems. le in Spelically. the Govemment wil: ie a) commit Itsef tothe environmentaly sound use of both renewable and non-renewable resources in the process of national development; b) create awareness among all sections of the community of the environment and Its relationship to socio-economic development, and of the necessity for rational resource use among all sectors of the country. 31 c) develop procedures for the utilisation of land resources in a manner that wil ensure the .k maximum degree of economy in the use of land and avoid or minimise conflicts; d) Institute and Implement an environmental quality control programme by requiring prior n environmental Impact assessments of all new investments that would be deemed to affect the e quality of the environrnent; e) the appropriate measures. irrespective of the existing levels of environmental poliution and extent of degradation, to control pollution and the importation and use of poaentially toxic chemicals. g f) take appropriate meawres to protect crtical eco-systems, induding the flora and fauna they -e * contain against harmful effects, nuisance, or destructive practices; .h g) develop and maintain a professional cadre within the country to supervise, co-ordinate. implement and enforce procedures and legislation essential for safeguarding the environment and maintenance of sound ecological systems;, h) oblige all concemed to provide the appropriate agencies with the relevant information needed I for environmental protection and for the enforcement of relevant environmental regultions and legislation; i? promote and support research programmes aimed at better understanding -of the different ecozones and the factors affecting them, as well as health-related envronmental problems. and the development of appropriate technologies for environmentally sound management and use of loca resources, including renewable energy resources; ir j) establish an adequate legishative and 'r-stitutional framework for monitoring. co-ordanating and enforcing environmental matters; The fundamental aims of the National Environmental Policy shall be pursued and achieved through the harnonisation and enforcement of ralevant laws and treeties on the environment, and the 31 implementation of an Environmental Action Plan. The Plan is intended to provide a coherent framework for the various interventions necessary to safeguard the environment. ISSUE-SPECIFIC POUCY ORIENTATllONS The envkonment represents an asset, though finite with a limited carrying capacity, which must be utilised and mranaged in the best possible way. It must be recognised as an essential factor in the organisation and promotion of humian existence and progress The resources od the environment Environmental Acton Plan 13  Chapter Three National Environmental Polircy must be managed such that they exert the maximum contributlon to the long- erm econoric and social well-being of Ghanaians. 1.0 Management of Environmental Resources Conservation of forest, fishery and wildife resources: The neeo to protect nature and habitat, landscape, flora and fauna from the threat of further degradation and depletion is an area of concem to many Ghanaians. There is an increasing awareness of the direct econonic benefits of forests and widlife to the people. and the linkages between these resources and the tota environment. These concerns shalt be translated into an action plan which will ensure nature conservation. Protection of the soil: The protection of the soil has been recognised as an important action in the rnanagement of resources in Ghana. This arises from the recognition of the growing threats to tne soil as a result of increasing agricultural, mining and mnanufacturing activities. The threats to the soil can be categorised as foilows: a) contamination by hamffu substances of various origins; b) degradation of the chemical. biological or physical structure; c) misuse and waste as a reslt of space-consuming activities. In order to tackie these principal threats, existing policies and actiities shall be co-ordinated and re-nforced to ensure that soi protection is more effectively taken into account especially in agricultural and other developmert policies and activities. Steps shall also be taken to encourage the development of innovative soil protection techniques and the transfer of available know-how. Coastal regions and highland areas: The development and ecological management of Ghana's coastal regions is of rrajor Importance. Because of the peculiar and fragie nature of these areas It is of the utmost interest to the country to manage these on a sustainable basis. It is also recognised that a commonly agreed upon action plan will provide the appropriate framework for an envronmentally- sound and comprehensive approach to coastal area development in the West Africansub-region. Inthisdirection.GovemmentWIAlenditstuflsupporttotheprogrammeacivities under the Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) appropriate to the needs of West and Central Africa (VACAF); within this regional framework Govemment will prepare and implement a Coastal Zone Management Plan- The highland areas In Ghana fulfil several. often conflicting functions. They guarantee the economic well-being of the local population serving as farm lands and at the same time, protect the watersheds and habitats for wildlife. The ominous destruction of vegetation on hill sides threatens the stability and beauty of these areas. Local authorities will prepare and enforce appropriate bye-aws and massive public education programmes will be carried out Energy Resources: Woodfuels constiue the primary energy source for most Ghanaian households, whiles the industrial sectoris almost entirely dependent on hydro-power. Thissituation poses a seriousthreat to economic development and to the environmentL Eftorts to develop the country's indigenous energy resources wil be pursued in such a manner as to reduce the possible adverse impacts of energy development on the environment To reduce the pressure on forests for woodfuels the development of renewable energy sources will be promoted, while the efficiency of production. conversion and use of woodfuels will be improved. lndustrieswDl be giventhe appropriate incentives asa means to promote the use of renewable energY sources. 14 .Environmental Action Pis  cy NtiDonal Enwironmentl Policy Chapter Thre nd I Water Resources: Water Is used for various purposes, including domestic, Industrial, agriculture, recreation and transportatlon. The necessary measures wU be instituted to ensure that conflicts between the different * uses of water are avoided or reduced to the minimum. In particular efforts will be made to protect the various watersheds and also employ environmentally sound methods of disposing waste water as 'er well as to prevent poliluion of fresh water bodies. es Also efforts will be made to reduce land-based polutants from various sources entering the sea. The 3n National 00 SpDi Contingency Plan will be implemernted to reduce the risk of poilution from oD spils and ensure timely intervention In case of such spils. Ghana wil co-operate with all countries in the * West and Central African sub-region in the event od a serious oil spill In the region. - Urban areas and waste management lgDi E The volume of wastes generated In the urban centres Is rapidly increasing. Although a substantial percentage of the urban waste in Ghana is readiy biodegradable and therefore potentially re-usable or recyclable for raw manerias or energy, the appropriate technology and necessary resources are not readly available. A small but Increasing proportion of urban waste In Ghana is toxic or dangerous and deserves special handling. Much of the urban waste is disposed of on the land and some are dumped into the sea with little or no treatment before disposal. A more comprehensive policy for waste management shall be adopted to encompass prevention. recdamaton and disposal. This policy shall focus on three broad themes: the reduction of the volume id of waste, the increase of recycling and reuse, and the safe disposal of unavoidable wastes. in *e 2.0 Prevention and Control of Pollution A pollution problem might, to varying degrees, be classified as: a) a}cte or chronic; b) locallsed or geographically dispersed; 4 c) related primarly to a single pollutant or a combina- tion of pollutants;- 0, d) concentrated in one medium (air, water or land) or affecting several and/or Involving the : movement of pollutants between media; j *k 0e} point-source(s), diffused, fixed or moble, and may be linked with one or several industrial -t sectors f The approaches to pollution control in practice wil therefore differ In their emphasis, depending on k technical, adniinistrative and legal possibilities for control measures It is recognised that the first stage in the control of a pollution problem is research and detaled study to investigate ttie factors involved and their inter-relationships. S When a problem has been identified and investigated. an appropriate control strategy can be decided Y upon. The control strategy may include the use of biological standards, exposure limits. J environmental quality objectives or standards, emission standards, process or operating standards. product standards, limits on total emissions or a range of preventive controls, for example, the application of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures, or some combination of these. 1 - Control action mray be directed towards any one or more of the following: . the poflluant; 5 * pollutant sourres; * receiving and/or transporting media: I tart. organism or environmenL 1 Environmental Action Plan 15  Chepte Thre Naiso .1 tnwomnsuas rusay Comprehensive Pollution Control: The control of the emission of pdlutants trom many sources into a single medium will be based on emission limits or on environmental quality standards set for that medium. It is recognised that one inevitable consequence of the sectoral approach to pollution is that, as standards are tightened In one area, so the pressure may increase in another area. To avoid this situation, emphasis wil be placed on stricter environmental standards in all sectors. Substance-oriented Controls: In orderto be able to assess the exposure by a particular pollutant throuqhthe varicus pathways (air. water, soil) of a particular target, assess the effects of such exposures. tacluding risks for health and the environment, and set standards designed to limit the impact of pollution, where appropriate an integrated substance-oriented approach to chemicals will be adopted. This approach will: * consider the occurrence of a particular substance from any source: * proceed towards an integrated risk assessment, taking into account the different routes through which people and the environment are exposed; and * lead to choices regarding the most effective and efricient solution to the problems caused. Source-oriented Controls: Environmental management should Ideally take into account interaction between sources of pollutants. In some cases. however, it may be reasonable to focus controls on a single type of source. A source-oriented control approach, aimed at individual industries or target groups of industries, and covering all discharges to air, land or water and including the generation of solid as well as liquid or gaseous wastes. may be adopted where deemed appropriate. To ensure effective support for such an approach, a better, more comprehensive knowledge of the emissions into air, water and to soil in the form of wastes from major sources of such emissions is required. Emission inventories wMll be set up and kept up to date and the state-of-the-art technologies to control emissions will be regulary mainrained and disseminated to those cncermed and to the public together with the costs entaied. Product Standard Emission Umits and Environmental Quality Objectives and Standards: Environrnental regulations are already in existence although scattered, which set standards for products emissions. These are based on the technical characteristics of the industry, the product. and/or on a fomially specified quality objective or standard for the receiving environmentL A more comprehensive regulation wil be enacted for the control of, for example, gaseous emissions from motor vehides, pollution of soil and water through sewage discharges, et cetera. 3.0 Action in specific areas Atmospheric Pollution: The atmospheric poluion control strategy under the national environmental policy is geared towards an overall long-term objective to reduce air poHlution within the country as well as beyond Ghana's boundaries. The main objectives of the strategy will be to: a) identify the atmospheric pollutants which are currently and potentially of greatest concem for the protection of human health and the environment; b) deterrnine the most appropriate means (substances and/or source oriented) for handling the pollution problems identified, without transferring air pollution to water or soil; c) set and implement national standards for specific sources discharged into the air; d) reduce, in the longer term the ambient air concentrations of the most crucial pollulants to levls considered acceptable for the protection of sensitive ecosystems; I | 16 Environmenta Action Plan1  National Envionmrl Policy Chapter Three e) define and implement preventve measures against Indoor pollution: f) deop relevant Irnsments which can assist In achbieng these objectves. Inciuding: iQ an inventory of emissions and major source categories; IQ an Inventory of best available pollution abatemenm technologies and costs. Il) new non-polluting techndlogiesm iv) monitoring networks; v) economic instruments to prevent pollution. Water Bodies: The environmental policy on water Is aimed at sustainable development and use of water resources In this regard, particular quality standards wil be set for. a) specitic uses of water; b) pollution caused bythe discharge of certain dangerous substances to the aquatic environment In addition. programmes will be mounted to: * irnroduce in all water resource development schemes effective measures to control or avoid distortions of the ecological balance which affect the health and qualky of lIfe of the eople: * generally monitor and control activties with a view to Improving water quality In general and rediuce poliut,on; * protect watersheds thmugh the contrd of deforestaton.1 The marine environment wIl be accorded special attention throught a) the implementation of the conventions and protocols of relevant intemaonal bodies dealing with marine polluton, especialy in the West African region; b) the reduction of landbased poliutants Into the seas through the dumping of raw sewage and unrea2ed liquid industrial vrastes;j c) contrd and prevention of polution from oil spills: d) improvement of national capabilities for dealing with oi spils. Chemicals: The increasing number of chemicals used In the country deserves control. A procedure wiD be established for a) regulating potentially dangerous chemicals by enacting appropriate legislation regarding the export. import marketing and use of chemicals that are banned or severely restricted in other counrvies or where local experier^e makes such contrd necessary b) gathering information, requi ing testing, and evalua- ting the risks to humans and the environment; c) undertaidng a continuous review of the classffication systems, testing requirements and test guidelines. Noise: Noise is a by-product of Industria]isation and modemisation. However this is an avoidable problem given the present-day state-of-the-art industrial technology. Appropriate standards and legislation on noise control, both ambiernt and industrial. wil be enacted and enforced to prevent the worsemng of the noise prooiem as the national economy gathers momentum and the standard of livng fora larg cross-section of the popuiation improves. Public education wil ie a key component of noise control efforts within communities. Environmental Action Plan 17  Chaptw Three National Environmematiroomy 4.0 Development of Appropriate Instruments Forthe successful implementatlon ofthe Natlonal Environmental Policy, necessary stepswil be taken to develop appropriate instruments geared towards: a) improving the scderntfic base of environmental pdicy, among other things, through appropriate research programmes; b) the assessment of the potential impacts of certain public and private projects on the environment, and the integration of the environmenal dimension in national policies: c) establishment and implementation of appropriate sTandards and guidelines so as to ensure an acceptable level of public health and environmental protection; d) harmonisation of appropriate legislative instruments; e) Improved access to intormation on the environmenL To ensure the greatest economy in land resource utilisation and to minimise land use conflicts a landuse policy will be formulated and an action plan adopted to provide a comprehensive and integrated framework for the development of land resources. Legislation will be enaced to prescribe the necessary environmental quality standards and guidelines for mining and manufacturing industries. To this end EIA will be required for all new investments that would be ceemed to affect the quality of the environmerL Positive and negative incentiveswill be instituted to encowage the adoption of environmentally sound production technologies and to discourage pollution. Programmes wil be developed to ensure the availability and wise application of cost-effective technologies for the exploitation of resources. 5.0 Environmental Education The success of an environmental policy presupposes that all sections of the population understand the functioning of the environment and the problems thereof, and contribute to the protection and improvement of the environmentL To this end continuous and detailed educational programmes wil be implemented at all levels sothat every Ghanaian becomes aware of the problems and fullyassumes his responsibilities in safeguarding the environment Environmental education wAl formn an imnegral pat of the educational system. Sustained eflorts will be nmade to promote awareness among policy mnakers, provide training for resource managers at appropriate levels, and promote greater public awareness and motivation for environmrenal action. 6.0 Environmental Monitoring Monitoring constitutes an essential actvity in the sdution of environmental problems Human activities and the environment in which they occur are in a constant state of flux, therefore the process of environmental monitoring must necessarily include the need to describe change. Monitoring must be designed to provide a sound knowledge about the resources themselves, that is their spatial distribution, their quantity and quality, and of all the interacting elements within the framework of development There is also the need to know the extent to which the environment is being modified as a result of the various human use systems. This wil ensure that rational choices wil be made among altemative development strategies. 7.0 International Co-operation It has become increasingly obvious that environmental problems hardly respect national boundaries. Some of these problems, such as drought, atmospheic pollution. climate change, and marine pollution are, by their very nature. intermational or even global in character. It is therefore essential that they should be tacided at those respective levels Ghana will participate actively in irntenational efftw towards the protection of the environmnent Ghana will naintain and where necessary, increase her participation in the activities of the United Nations agencies. other mUtiateral organisations and non-govemmental organisations. and observe the numerous intemational agreements to which Ghana is a parTy. 18 Environmental Action Plan  Y tdonl Envionmental Policy ChapterThr0 At th regonal and continental levels, Ghana's environmenhal policy wDi operate in the contex of an IncreaOd effective participation In (including where appropriate. financial conMribution to) the n protods of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and sub-regiorul groupings such as West African Sub-West and Central Africa (WACAF) e Regional Seas Programme of UNEP. e n a d 3s at id -d -idl es be at n. an Ss ist ial of ed de 3s. ne tial .ed *ve an Environmental Action Plan 19 I~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ _____  CHAPTER 4 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES ISSUES: a) Need for a National Environmental Policy Attempts over the years to address environmental problems in Ghana have been largely ad-hoc and cosmetic, or at best sector-oriented and therefore limited In scope. It has become evident that the body of existing legislation on the various aspects of the environment is Inadequate. and many provisions have no bearing on present-day realities as well as the aspirations of the people of this country. There is clearly the need for a new direction and thrust In national development efforts to ensure that plans aimed at improving the standard and quality of Ife take due cognizance of environmental considerations. The economic prosperity of Ghana depends on the maintenance of a high quality environment. The losses being sustained at present reduce the living standards of the present generation and may affect future generations if the present trend is allowed to continue. The proposed National Environmental Policy is presented in Chapter 3. b) Present Legal and Institutional Framework Long before the establishment of the Environmental Protection Councl in 1974, many legal enactments existed In the country empowering various official bodies which actually exercise executing powers as far as the care and protection of the environment are concerned. However these powers are widely scattered among these bodies and no one of them can be said to enjoy exclusive oversight of the whole o. the environment or even of significant portions of it. In the face of this highly confused state of affairs. it is extremely difficult atthe presenttimeto determine exacty the responsibilities specifically assigned to the various organs of government with respect to the environment. Besides, mnany of the sectors with executing powers are unable to exercise these powers effectively. It is evident that there are a number of problems relating to the environment which have not received tha attention they deserve because they have not been seen as falingl deafly within the sphere of responsibility of any particuar body or because so many different bodies are officially entrusted with responsibility for them. In the event, none of them has taken the initiative in attending to them. The question at issue is one of administrative and legal failure to demarcate clearlythe responsibilities of the various bodies concemed with the environment and ensure that these responsibilities are pmperly carried ouL c) Proposed Policy Agenda i) EPC restructuring The Environmental Protection Council was established by NRC Decree 239 of January 23rd. 1974. The Councii is primarily an advisory and research organisation, which is expected tG co-ordinate the activities of other bodies concemed with environmental matters but without the power to enforce any measures for improving the environment or preventing damage to iL It serves as a meeting point for the bodies that actually exercise power with regard to various sectors of the environment and so facitate the co-ordinating role of the Council. Membership of the Council is made up of Ministries of Health, Agriculture. Foreign Affairs. Lands and Natural Resources, Industries, Science and Technology, Local Govemrnment. Finance and Economic Planning and Works and Housing. The EPC also mairnains networks through its expert commimtees on education, naurl ecosystems. toxic chericals, human settlements, among others. There is however an urgent need for restructuring 20 Environmental Action Plar  LGS & ir n Chapter Four the Councdl to provide ft withthe necessarypolftical backing aswell asa minimum level of enforcement powers to enable it carry the additional responsibillties that the EAP imposes on it. 1I) Role of NDPC The National Development Planning Commission which was set up under National Development Planning Law. 1989 is charged with the following responsibilIties: 1. Formnulate and advise govemment on comprehensive National Development Strategies and ensure ind that the Planning and Development Strategies Including consequential policies and programmes are the effectively carried out; tny his 2. (a) undertake studies and make recommendations to the Govemment on development issues and . to on national development goals and objectives; of (b) issue for the guidance of both public and private sectors approved development policies as directed by govemment; (c) integrate and synthesise all macro-economic sectoral and terrtorial policies and ensure that -he such policies are compatible with the national development goals; iay (d) ensure that all development strategies and programmes are in conformity with sound nal environmental principles; (e) monitor and evaluate national development plans, programmes and projects and report progress to the govemmem from time to time; 3al ' (f) prescribe the content and format of national development plans and [se (g) perform such other functions as the government may assign to it se I 3.Keep under constant review national developmen. plans in the light of prevalling domestic and ive international economic. social. politcal conditions and recommend to the government necessary revision of existing policies and programmes. I :ne 4. Deliberate and advise govemment on such alternative strategies as there may be to attain the to national development goals and present such viable alternative strategies together with the !se assumption upon which they are based including the advarntages and disadvantages of each option rcbl *to the govemmentL ily Although it has been established by law and indeed maintains a physical existence the NDPC is yet - ! ng to take off from the ground. It needs to be strengthened to become operational and effective. Its lead role in the national ptanning process must be asserted with particular emphasis on human settlements for which a special unit is required. ies ire (iii)E I A Process Doubless. the goverr ?nt and both public and private sectors of the economy are committed to the need to consider. cdrefully. environmental issues before making a decision on the future of a development action. The PNDC Law 116 establishing the Ghana Investment Code of 1985 requires that the Ghana Investment Centre (GIC). which is the govemment agency for the encouragement, promotion and co-ordination of private investment (except for mining, petroleum and cottage 74 industries) in the Ghanaian economy, must in its appraisal of enterprises. "... have regard to any effect .he the enterprise is likely to have on the environment and the measures proposed for the prevention and .ny control of any harmful eKfects to the environmentL Currently the discharge of this requirement is met for by sending information on the enterprise to the EPC for review. Comments are expected within 21 so days. Environmental Impact Assessment is a method used to identify a project's probable impacts o0. the * nd enionment. Itiscarriedoutinordertoinfluenreprojectdesignandthechoiceofprojectaitenatives nic There is no EIA procedure in Ghana at present There is only a systematic environmental review procedure in which EPC is the focal point deciding whetheran environmental grant, an Environmental ns. Impact Certificate can be issued or noL Clearly. EPC cannot be expected to cope indefinitely with :ng tne demands placed upon it by existing practice, hence the need for a formal EIA procedure within which responsibility for consideration of envronmental effects is more dispersed among various anj Environmental Action Plan 21  Chpter Four Legal & Instullonal lsu "actorsr In the development process but which maintain EPC Input at critical stages. Also the cost of undertaking the work would be distributed, more equltably as the project proponents would be responsible for preparing Ernlronmenta Impact Statements for their own projects and meeting the costs of the work. At preSent such Environmental Impact Statements are produced by some proponents, particularly in the mining sector, but on an adhoc basis and frequenriy only where there is a sizeable foreign Investment (Iv) Land Management Legislation To date the non-existence of a co-ordinated and comprehensive land use/management policy Is seen as the most critical problem In environmental managemenL Another problem is the multiplicity of agencies responsible for various aspects of land management; there are twenty such agencies. Various experts have Indicated that the situation if not rectilied would seriously impair any efforts to address environmenra problems in the country. no malter what their nature. The lack of integrated policy and planning lies at the heart of the land management problems at the national, regional. district and farm levels in Ghana. The Ministries of Local Govemment and Education together with U.S.T. a-id the Dept. of Town and Country Planning are currently preparing a Land Use Planning Policy tot the country. (v) Water Management Legislation a) Abstraction of Water InGhanaat present there are no procedures requiring organisationsand agencieswishingto abstract water to submit their request to an authority responsible for the overall management of water resources, so that the right to abstract water Without any detrimental effect can be granted. It is only in the case of the Volta River Authority (VFRA) and Irrigation Development Authority (PDA) that would be users ofthe Volta Lake orVolta River and reservoirs for iigation are required to obtain permission from these bodies. which seem to have conferred on them ownership rights to their facilites. There is therefore an urgent need to streafline and rationallse the right to abstract water for varicus uses In the country. b) Water Quality The question of water quality is a matter of great concem. The settng of minimum quality standards is an nescapable responsbilty of all agencies concemed with the provision of water for human use and especialy of any national body charged wth the care and protection of the endronmenL There can therefore be no justification for the present diffusion of authority and the Implied acceptance of a multiplicity of standards within the country. As things stand now this aspect of water mranagement is too diffused, with the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation, the Water Resources Research Institute and Aquatic Bidogy Institute. IDA, VRA and the EPC, to some extent all exercising or claiming responsiblity for various aspects, not to mention the authority exerised by local communities and even individuals with regard to water rights and use. With regard to the envirormentai impact of water utilization. the situation seems to be diffused. Tre VRA. IDA, GWSC, Minerals Commission and the EPC have various provisions in the leg6iaiions establishinrg the respective institutions to ensure that the water bodies over which they have1 jurisdiction are not polluted or that they also do not cause pollution. However, it is only VRA which has been asked to take measures to protect downstream users and the water regime. Though laws prohibting pollution of water bodies exist, the lack of enforcement of these laws is detrimental to national water management There Is a need for an agency (Water Resources Commission) to coordinate matters related to water. This body will formulate a comprehensre national water policy and mnake regulations to coorol and manage water resources In the country Existing instions should also be strengthened. 22 Environmental Action PISl  Legl & lt onual Iusu Chapter Four (vi) Forest Policy The major envlronmentally-related deficiency in the Forest Policy of 1948 was the absence of any percelved pemianent role for trees In land use outside the reserved forests. In practice the Policy pefrmttd the progressiWe utilizaton of forest resources in areas outside the legally constituted permnent forest estates without replacemenL This practice has led to the destruction of forest lands outside reserves through conversion to other farms of land use without control. Efforts are however being made to reverse the situation. The proposal for the revision of the policy departs from the former perception and focuses on the overall management of the national forest estate to ensure sustalnablity of the resource and environmenia preservation. The relevant provisions In the revised National Forest Policy wUIl Include: * protection of sol and water rescurces; * protectIon of critcal hilly areas and water courses; * conservaton of flora and fauna - indigenous species; * control of desertlficaton; * controlled exploiaon of forest resources based on principles of sustainable yields, envi- ronmental preservation and enhancement of bio-diversity. vii) Conservaton Legislation Wildlife populations are severely depleted as a result of excessive explotation for meat. In 1969 a report to Govemment poilntd out that unless a much larger and urgent effort was made to restore wildlife the 7rapid destruction of animal resources and habitats would ruLe out forever the possiblity of faunal regeneration in habitats which are stil capable of giving necessary food and shelter." .! In additon animal habIMts outside the reserves both In the forest and savanna ecosystems continue to be under siege from various economic activities including dearing for agricuture, logging and timber extraction, human caused fires, mining and -oad construction. The destuction of wetland a ecosystems also reduces the biodiversity of this unique wildlife habiat. There is a need to shftt emphasis from preservation of useful animals to the conservation of wildlife. Existng laws and regulations on wildlife conservation need to be amended to reflect this changed i emphasis and to make It possible forflora also to be listed as endangered. vili) Human SetUlement Policy The geomphic distbution of popuation and human settlements pattem of the country pose formidable constraints to effective national developrent and equitable distribution of development benefits. Unfortunately, successive natural development policies and strategies hardly ever addressed this spatial issue. The wide dispersal of the country's population into numerous scattered settlements has been the cause for rural deprivation Orly a small percentage of the rural populatlon has access to wage employment, electricity. potable water and health facilities. Urban degradation is another problem associated with our human settlements There is an explosion In lawlessness and uncontrolled urban growth in the rapidly growing urban areas The absence of new infastructure within the last decade. including inadequate sanitation and drainage facilities, as well as rampant disregard for approved land use allocations and inadequacies of provision of basic servces have a direct bearing on human health Ix) Industrial Legislation There is growing concem in the countryabout industrial wasteand pollution, health and safety hazards to industrial workers, public health problems due to adverse environmental changes. and the misapplication of hazardous chem:als. Environmental Action Plan 23-  Chupter Four u.al eL Inauwuonaa *mu Evidence and stark realty show that efforts so far made towards control and preventIon of the adverse effects have been Inadequate and Ineffective. This Is In spite of the fact that the level of Industrial development In the country Is relatively low. If proper Industrial environmental controls are not put In place. environmental pollution will be quite significant in the near future, especally since increased Industrial activties are expected due to the Economic Recovery and Structural Adjustment Programmes. At present in Ghana most of our laws on the environment which date back to the colonial era are rule-oriented and as a result, in spite of their existence. abuses are common. For environmental legislation to be effective. it must be management oriented. Environmental legislation demands a new orientation to law making. It requires fresh concepts, policy options and strategies for implementation that would caterforthe management of future environmental problems. In Ghana. some of the major constraints to environmental legislation are: (a) the inadequacy of laws and their enforcement. and (b) the lack of standards and controls for maintaining environmental qualitv. x) Need for Legislation to Control Hazardous Chemicals For many years the importation, manufacture, distribution handling and use of potentially toxic chemicals in Ghana has proceeded without much consideration to the possible environmental consequences. This ha- resulted in considerable hazard to hurnan health. It is more serious in the sense that the quantities and types of chemicals in the country are not fully known. Despite obvious gaps and laxities there have been some attempts to institute controls to curb the possible hazard posed to the environment and health through indiscrimirate use and misapplication of toxic chemicals in Ghana. A draft legislation meant to control the importation, distribution, sale and use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals has been prepared and is being considered bythe EPC committee on toxic chenircals. xi) Need to Establish a Legal Framework for Coastal Zone Management The management and conservation status of the coastal zone of Ghana is low. This Is particularly re In terms of planning.-co-ordination and monitoring. Present management is sectoral. and although a number of measures have been put in place these have not been enforced by the appropriate agencies. There is hardly any agency that co-ordinates the developrrmental activities of the various sectors. Data for planning and management is limited and scattered. The situation is unsatisfactory in the light of the increasing population and economic activity in Fe zone, the large potentia of the zone in terms of production and amenities and the ecological fragility of the zone as a whole. Need to set Standards for Air Quality, Water Quality and Noise Levels in Urban Areas To be able to judge whether the level of pollution caused by any impact is acceptable or not, safe or dangerous depends on the minimum quality standards which are considered acceptable at any particulartime and place having regard tothe knovaledge. technology and resources that areavailable. These standards which serve as guidelines for industrialists, imponers and the monitoring agencies are generally lacking in Ghana Need to Prepare and Implement Environmental Regulations for Water Management, Mining and Industry The major pollutants of water in the country are derived from agricultural, mining and manuifacturing i activiies and from human settlements. Once water quality standards are established. It will be necessary to establish and enforce regulations concreming water abstraction and pollution 24 Environmental Action Plani  -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ r Legal & Inatltutlonl ioues Chipter Four Furthermore. mining and industrial regulations wil be needed to limit the discharge of emTissions. effluents and solid wastes and to regulate the use of hazardous chemicals In accordance with the established environmental standards and provisions for occupational health and safety. To ensure the effective observance of these regulations, the institutions legaily responsible for enforrcement may aiso need to be strengthened. Role of Sectoral Agencies Prior to the establishment of EPC as an umbrella body responsible for all actities and efforts In the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment. sectoral agencies were in existence charged with speciic responsIbilIties in the area of the environment. Over the years the mandate of these agencies have proved Inadequate to cope with the problems or they have run down in terms of personnel, equipment and enforcement powers. Under the EAP these sectoral agencies will be the implementing agencies for specific EAP components and supply of information to EPC who would co-ordinate the activities of these agencies. With the present state of most of these sectoral agencies, they cannot fulfil this expected role without being strengthened in their areas of weakness to ensure successful implementation of the EAP. Role of District Assemblies In line with the govemments policy of decentralisation within the District Assembly the concept of local institutional arrangement under PNDCL207 of the Local Govemment Law. Assemblies will have a central role to play In the implementation of the Environmental Action Plan. The Local Govemment Law makes the District Assemblies responsible for the development. improvement and management of human settlements and the environment in the district They also underthe law have responsibility for monitoring the impact of projects on people's development, the local, district or national economy, and the environment. The assemblies also have the responsibiity of enforcing legislations and making bye-laws. It has been recommended that each assembly should have a District Environmental Management *7 II: Committee made of assemblymen and representatives of govemment decentralised departments i charged with a broad responsiblity for monitoring and co-ordinating environmental protection and Improvernent activities in the District . It Is difficult for the Assemblies to fulfil these roles at the moment as they are not strong enough and the decentralised departments are not yet firmly estabished in the districts due to problems of office space and housing for the officials. The District Assemblies espeallgy the key depatrtents would have to be strengthened to enabe them discharge these responsibilities. Role of NGOS and Community Groups In recent years. religious groups, professional associations and other groups especially concemed with the promotion of environmental practices have gained prominence at both local and national levels. A number of such groups have given active support in the implementation of programmes by both EPC and that of other agencies like the Forestry Department especially at the local level where they have proved most effective. Some sxamples of NGO participation in environmental projects are the afforestation programmes of the Amasachina, an indigenous NGO and the Community Collaborative Forestry Initiative (CCFI) Project being implemented by Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) with support of US Peace Corps and other Govemment agencies. NGOs wth the advantage of freedom from bureaucraic problems facing govemment agencies, they are able to gain easy access to grassroot level to engage In developmental activities. With this rich experience of the NGOs. they could play a valuable role through involvemrent in sensitizing the local popuiation inenvironmental issuesand environmentalrestorationand enrichmentprgranmmes Pior to the Implementation of the EAP It would be necessary to bring all these NGOs together to explore their full participation in the plan. Environmental Action Plan 25  Chapltr Fow Lgal a mS u., . ACTIONS Legal 1. National Environmental Policy A National Environmental Policy will be adopted by govemment to provide the broad Iramework for the Implementation of the Action Plan. 2. Policy Agenda Action will be taken by government for the adoption of a policy agenda on: (a) Legislation (i) Restructuring of EPC (ii) Establishment of EIA procedures (iii)Revised forestry policy (iv) Revised conservation policy. (v) Revised Factory, Shops and Offices Act (vi) Legislation for Coastal Zone Managemnent (vii)Legislation to Controi Pesticides (viii) Establishment of a Water Resources Commission The draft text for this legislation is provided In Volume It (b) Prepare and Adopt Sectoral Policies Agricultural land management Range manaementm Fisheries management Water management (c) Prepare and Adopt Standards and Regulations Air quality standards Water quality standards Noise Standards Regulations for water abstraction Regulations for discharge of pollutants into water bodies Environmental regulations for mining Envirenmea regulations for industry 3. Institutional Strengthening a) Strengthen EPC The EAP calls for EPC to assume a number of additional responsibilities and also expand the scope of its activities in several of Its present programmes. The Plarn also implies increased responsibities and work loads for EPC staff and expansion of progran..ies in environmental education and environrnenta monitoring. In the implementaon of the EAP. EPC has a cruci role in co-ordinati:hg i the activities of various other ministries and agencies r -ponsible for implementing specific camponents of the Plan To enable EPC carry out these responsibilities. it has to be strengthened In terms of Its institutonal structure, completion of programme of establishing regional offices with staffing and logist 26 Environmental Action Plafl  Legal & Intitutional Inus Chaptr Four b) Strengthen NDPC Tm NDPC which is a crucial role in the national planning process should be strengthened so that tff required for all levels of planning process are In place in addition to required logistics with set timre rame to ensure the odfecthve functioning of all planning units. The establishment of the Human Seaiements Un;t In the NDPC should be a matter of priority. c) Create an Institutional Structure tor Integrated Land Use Planning. Whhthe absence of a comprehensive landuse/management policy and the presence of a multiciplicity of agencies responsible for various aspects of land management It Is imperative to create an instkutlorml structure for land use planning. It is worthwhie taking a Iook at the proposal for an Integrative Institutional framework for environmental management and policy put forward under a study on Land Managemenm Systems in Ghana commissioned as pan of the EAP preparation process for adoption.(Fig. 3 ) (d) Strengthen Selected Sectoral Agencies Strengthen AESC to carry out water-related data collection Strengthen WRRI to carry out water-ralated research Strengthen IAB to carry out waterarelhted research Strengthen Factory Inspectorate to Implement revised Factories. Shops and Otrices AcL Strengthen National Energy Board to carry out energy-lated research. Strengthen third cycle training insttutons to carry out programs d environmental education. (e) Strengthen Interagency Coordination. _ Improve cooperation between EPC. Ministry of Industry. Ghana Investmnt Centre. Towr. and Country Planning Department, and local authorities to ensure that zoning regulations -. are adhered to in siting industries. 4 o Re-actlvate EPC's Environmental Education Committee to coordinate the planning and Implementation of noniomna environmental education programmes. * Joint data collection for environmerna monitoring (f) Support District Assemblies I I Provide a programme of environmental education for district assembly members. Set up District Environmenal Management Committeet. Encourage District Assemblies to establish and monitor protected areas Encourage District Assemblies to control 'woodcutung for commercial purposes and to licence charcoal producers. Encourage District Assemblies to improve sanitation services and to eniorce zoning regt2ations In urban areas. (9) Involve Community Groups and NGOs Provide a programme of nonformal environmental education or local authorities and community groups. Set up Community Environmental Committees. Support tree planting anz agroforestry initiatives by community groups and NGOs. Environmental Action Plan 27  CHAPTER 5 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ISSUES Ghana's economy derives its srength mainry from agricuture which accounts for more than 40% of gross domestic product, accounts for some 70% of total export eamings, and provides employrnent for 50% of the labour force. Export eamings trom forestry and mining activities are also significant contributors to the nation] product. The strength of the economy and, by extension, the integrity of the environment, is therefore reiated to the eficient use and management of available land. vegelatlon, widlife, water, and minral resources. The need for efficient managememn of land is the more urgent In the face of an ever-increasing popuLation and the growing demands in all the various atvities based on land. LAND MANAGEMENT Land is a complex commodity of fundamental Importance to the people of Ghana. the management of which involves several intricately woven facets. At the base-level is a traditional system that holds land In trust for the use and welfare of the community as a whole; whatever system of management that is evolved must take cognizance of this Superimposed on this complex base are the demands of a modem state seeking ways to use land and Its resources to improve the well-being of Its peoples. Then there are the private developers The result, unfortunately, is that perceptions and actual use of land conflict tragically and create a serious problem in defining a structure for any land management system Yet. all the different land users!, although having different and often divergen: sets of values. objecfives, Intentions and development targets and strategies, aim at using the Land to the advancement of society. Problems arise in the pursuance of the different objectives, leading to non-conforming uses of the and, conflicts, over-use, and sometimes even under-use of the land. Land resources and the processes of development and use have varying consequences on the environment as a result of bio-physical extraction, increment and waste generation. The environmental effects are effects on the quali y of the land. The effect may be limited to a particudar site as for example, in Increasing sol acidity. Often, however, they are transmitted beyond the imnmediate confines of the process as, for example, In deforestation which leads to Increased runoff and erosion in the immediate area and stream siltation in distant areas. The Issue of land management is recognised as a central point In any efforts to address environmental and resource problems in Ghana. This has long been recognised and over the yeai considerable effts have been made to strea;rnllne the interocking facets of land management In the country. A najorattemptatthlswasthework of theLandUsePlanningCommitteesetup in 1978. The Committee was to: 1. collect land resource information in a form suitable for planning; 2 elaborate land resource use policy aimed a':- a) resolving conflicts in resource use; b) achieving muitiple uses consistent with ecological requirements of the resources; c) projecting major user requirements in the long terrn, e.g. urban, agriculture, forestry, etc. 3. make recommendations to Government. The findings and recommendations of the Committee (May. 1979) are still valid. The report brought together in one volume useful information including the following: * categories of land resources, including size and potential of inland water bodies, major land fomis, ecosystems. soid types and capabOities, mineral resources, and exisUng iand use; o population trends and potential impacts; 28 Environmental Action Plan  uam R.oumc Mmnagement Chaptr Five * land supply and demand. patterns of land ownership and tenure. and factors determining land values and land policies In the country. * urban land use system, development and policy. and conflicts: v rural land use with respect to agricudture. forestry. game and wildlife, and mining, and the conflicts that arise. To date the non-existence of a co-ordnated and comprehensive land use/management policy is seen as the most critical problem In the sector. Another problem is the multiplicty of agencies responsible for various aspects of land management; there are twenty such agencies. Various experts have indicated that the situation, If not rectHifed would seriously Impair any efforts to address environmental problems in the country, no matter their nature. However, the issues below focus primarly on key land issues wth regard to agriculture and Its related land uses. Other elements of land mranagement problems are taken up under the appropriate sectors elsewhere In this document Population Pressure Ghana has a mean population densky of 51 persons per square kilometre. The limited esthnates of the blo-physical carrying capaciy of the land indicates that the human carrying capacity of many parts of the northem savannas may be no more than 1D B persons per square klometre under present systems of land use and standards of living. No such estimates are known for the forest areas but the forest lands are likely to have high capacities. Evidence of popu!ation pressure on the land is however widespread and extensive in the northem savannas. where most documertation has been done and plans envisaged to combat the ultimate fomn of lanrd degradation. that is desertiication Pressure is localised around the large settements in the forest areas. Land Ownership and Tenure The problems of land acquisftion arise because ownership boundaries are not clearly marked or mapped. tide is not well documented and registered. In the case of group ownership there rmay be problems as to who may gran title. The net effect Is considerable expense In land acquisition and uncertainty of ttle. The effectiveness of any conservation measures is likely to be reduced under these conditions. Land Use Planning Some data ext to plan the use of land for optimal agricultwa and related production especially at Fe regional scale. Data for local and farm planning however, sem inadequate. This among others swems to have hampered effective planning of the use of land. Optimal land use is therefre not j attained and land Is under-used, over-used and mis-used. Degradation results from this situation and is widespread in all environmrents in Ghana. The overall impression of land use and management in Ghana is one of lack of co-ordinated policy and planning. The management process is here interpreted In a broad sense to encompass: (a) Policy formulation (b) Planning: (i) Survey Ci) Evaluation (ii) Plan fornulation (c) Implementation (d) Monitoring: (i) Environment (IQ Economic (ia)Sociai Environmental Action Plan 29  Chapter Five atwal Resource Managemenl (s) Fedback for reurvsy and re-planning. The lack of Integrated poicy and planning lies at the heant of the land management problems at the national, regional. district and farm levels In Ghana. Survey and evaluation have proceeded more or less independendy ol any planning. There appears therefore to be gaps in data and informatin In terms of the type of data. The land user is seldom guided as to the environmenta effects of his actMvties. The overall effct of this siuation Is the Inability to attain production objectives and also the threatened ecological status of land and the environment Agricultural Land Use Soil Quality: Declining soil quality seems to be a general problem In the country. This is evidenced In reduced vegetafion coverwhich leads to widespread accelerated erosion. reduced crop yields and increasing desertilylng conditions especially In the savanna areas. Quantitative data In terms of crop yield are however not available. Machanisation: Mechanisation in agricultural land use has numerous advanages. However, Its effects on land quality. If uncrontroled. may be disastrous causing accelerated erosion, sub-soil compactlon, reduced water infiltration. This is considered important in the light of increasing population and the need for Increased agricultural production from an Increased hectarage of land. Agro-chomical Residues: There is a general lack o; data and studies on the effect of agro-chemicals on soil quality. From the limited studies that have been conducted under laboratory and field conditions, evidence seems to suggest that the response of micro-organisms in the sod may vary according to the kind of pesticide. Its concentration and the type of soil. Uncrontrolled use od some fertilisers may lead to sol acidification and salnisation In the drier parts of the country Shifting Cultivation: Though the traditional bush fallow system of cultivation has proved efficient in the regeneration of soa fertilty. Its deficiency in the light of increasing population and the need for more intensive use of land makes it necessaryto find viable alternative systems of cuitivation. Agro-forestry and notill cultivation systems offer good prospects at the rsoment. There are however still. gaps in the kwwledge and practice of these systems especially with respect to the selection of suitable tree and shrub species and of spatial relationships. Agriculture In the Coastal Zone: Crop production is notthe majortraditional occupation of the people withinthe coastal zone. Peasant agriculture is the dominant form of arable farming where It occurs. However, irrigation schemes have In recent years promoted commercial production of vegetables and rice. Animal rearing consisting of household piggeries. sheep and poultry along various points on the coastline. is also Important There is some cattle rearing in the Accra plains. Uncontrolled, these activities have degrading effects on coastal zone resources anc' anvironments. Of particular concem is the pollution caused by agricultual chemicals and wastes released into the environmeritthrough run-off and direct discharges in the coastal zone drainage catchments. In the past official emphasis has been on the cultfivation of cash crops especially cocoa. Whilst therE Is a diversity of crops, both cash and subsistence, in this country official attention has mainly beer drawn inthe pastto cocoa. This has led toserious economic consequenceswhen demandforcocoa has falen. There Is need for sufficient attention to the other crops, as a means of diversing agricultura production and ensuring crop ecological stability and the effective use of land resources. 30 Environmental Action Piar  3nt | Itual Reource Management Chapter Flve Range Lands: he Estirmtes Indscate a low carrying capacity of the natural grassards in terms o Tropical Lvestock or I Units (TW). A range of 2.0 ha to 7.6 he per TLU is hdicated. Over-gmzing occurs In locaised areas n :around watering points or in areas where tenure conditions restrict herders movements. Dispersed agriculture and settiement In certain areas of the north also lead to over-grazing in the Immediate f vicinity of setltements. us In Ghana there Is no conscious management of available pasture land and the distribution of pasture varies within the different ecological zones due to different land use practices. There is also very limited information on the utilisation of native forage species, but much information is avaiable on Introduced species. Unfortunately planting material Is not easily available. Different grassland areas : have different capacities and since agricultural practices differ this affects the availability of pasture : for anrimals. Browses and tree species are not widely used as for ge due to lack of information on ad I them. ig, re Bushfires Bush fires occur widely in Ghana but are more extensive in the savannas. Fires are set for varied purposes but mnay be set unintentionally. Most observations have been made in savannas and indications are that the most noticeable effect of buming is the reduction in the composition and Y density of the vegetation. The effect on soi micro-organisms and chemistry have not been er systematically studied. Bush fires have become, in recent years. the most degrading environmental or factor in Ghana. FOREST RESOURCES Forests and forestry have important environmental and ecological linkages. They are linked to the micro- macro-dcimate, water and soi resources. genetic resources of plants and animals. food le