The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, has called on the private sector to partner with government and environmental agencies to help reclaim degraded lands across the country.
She expressed deep concern over the extensive destruction of farmlands, forests, and water bodies caused by illegal mining activities, describing it as a major threat to Ghana’s environmental sustainability and economic progress.
Professor Klutse stressed that the cost of restoring degraded lands is enormous, underscoring the need for collective efforts, particularly from the private sector, to rehabilitate affected areas and promote sustainable land management practices.
She made the appeal during a Changfan ban enforcement operation in the Ashanti Region on Thursday, November 6.
“We’re deeply worried because our estimation and the World Bank report confirm that we have about 3 million hectares of land that are degraded. And it reminds us to restore the land. If we have to restore these lands to their original state, it involves filling the holes, giving the waters or rivers their original path,” she said.
“Planting the trees that were there and getting the trees back and the place back to order. That is a huge cost on the state. Government, EPA, we’re advocating for the private sector to come in to support the reclamation of our lands and restore our bodies.”
“EPA is in the process of looking for funds, requesting proposals for the reclamation of lands and cleaning of our water bodies. We’re taking steps in these processes,” she added.
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