Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, former Chief EPA CEO, & Spokesperson for the NPP Environment and Natural Resources Sector Policy Committee for election 2028
Ghana’s Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124), risks becoming a mere “law on paper” if the government fails to urgently establish the institutions and financing mechanisms required to make the legislation effective, former Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Dr John Kingsley Krugu, has warned.
Dr Krugu, who is also the Spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Environment and Natural Resources Sector Policy Committee for election 2028, made the observation in an assessment paper reviewing the government’s 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review.
Limited evidence
According to him, although the government’s efforts at restoring macroeconomic stability and intensifying enforcement against illegal mining deserve recognition, there is limited evidence that the broader institutional reforms introduced under Act 1124 are being implemented.
“Legislation, however ambitious, does not transform institutions on its own. Its success depends on sustained political commitment, adequate financing, institutional capacity, effective regulations and consistent administrative leadership,” Dr Krugu stated.
Act 1124
Act 1124, which was assented to on January 6, 2025, under the previous administration, was designed as the most comprehensive reform of Ghana’s environmental governance framework since the passage of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490).
Dr Krugu, who played a role in the final stages of the development of the legislation during his tenure at the EPA, explained that the law was intended to go beyond traditional environmental regulation and pollution control.
He said the Act established four major pillars aimed at strengthening environmental management in Ghana.
These include a stronger institutional framework through an expanded Environmental Protection Authority; climate governance mechanisms such as the Ghana Carbon Registry, Carbon Market Committee and Mitigation Fund; sustainable environmental financing through the National Environment Fund; and improved accountability through monitoring, audits and public reporting systems.
“Parliament’s vision for Act 1124 extended well beyond enforcement. The Act envisaged a comprehensive governance framework that would strengthen institutions, mobilise sustainable financing, mainstream climate considerations across government, improve environmental accountability and position Ghana as a regional leader in environmental governance and green economic transformation,” he said.
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