Omanghana
The Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform (CPCR) has called for explicit constitutional protection of environmental rights, arguing that Ghana’s ecological future should not depend solely on ordinary legislation.
At a stakeholders’ workshop in Sunyani, the coalition of civil society organizations urged that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment be formally recognised in the Constitution, alongside binding principles for responsible natural resource management.
The coalition said stronger constitutional safeguards would give environmental protection a central place in national governance and strengthen accountability for decisions affecting communities and ecosystems.
A key proposal is to guarantee meaningful participation by communities whose land, livelihoods and surroundings could be affected by natural resource activities. The CPCR is advocating for Free, Prior and Informed Consent before such activities receive approval.
Under this approach, affected communities would have a substantive role in decisions, supported by access to relevant information before projects proceed.
The proposals also reflect broader civil society support for a public trust doctrine under which natural resources would be vested in the people of Ghana, with the state responsible for managing them on the public’s behalf. Environmental organizations have endorsed this approach in their response to recommendations from the Constitution Review Committee.
The reform demands extend to the inclusion of the Polluter Pays Principle, intended to place responsibility for the costs of pollution on those who cause it. The coalition also called for stronger protection for environmental defenders and the establishment of a specialized Environmental and Natural Resources Court.
These measures are intended to address weaknesses in environmental governance and strengthen the mechanisms available for resolving disputes and holding offenders accountable.
The calls come alongside wider civil society demands for a binding Constitutional Reform Implementation and Roadmap Act to guide the reform process.
Advocates argue that a clear legal framework for implementation would help prevent proposed safeguards from being delayed or sidelined during political transitions, ensuring that environmental commitments translate into lasting protections.
Source: Omanghana
