By Roberta Gayode Modin
The Environmental Education and Lifelong Learning (EELL) 2025 Conference has ended in Accra with a call for stronger enforcement of Ghana’s environmental laws and collective action to protect natural resources.
The two-day conference, held at the British Council under the theme “Sustainable Futures: Bridging African Traditions with Modern Land Use in the Face of Corporatization,” was organized by the Pan African Centre for Climate Policy (PACCPOLICY). It brought together policymakers, traditional leaders, environmental experts, journalists, and civil society organizations to deliberate on sustainable land-use practices and corporate influence on Indigenous lands.
Delivering the keynote address, Supreme Court Judge, Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei, commended the passage of the Environmental Protection Act 2025 and called for its strict enforcement to safeguard Ghana’s environment for future generations.
“If we are mindful of our health, we should be mindful of the health of the unborn,” Justice Adjei said, adding that “the fight against illegal mining requires collaborative effort.”
Representing the Chief Executive of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Dr. Patrick Essien said no permits have been issued for mining on water bodies in Ghana and described such activities as illegal. He noted that the EPA and other regulatory bodies are committed to strengthening measures to curb illegal mining.
Joy News journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, who has reported extensively on illegal mining, was honoured with the 2025 Environmental Heroes Award. In his address, he observed that the fight against galamsey is being undermined by a lack of political will.
Topics discussed at the conference included Policy Frameworks for the Future, The Role of Education in Empowering Communities for Sustainable Land Use, Synergies Between Sustainable Development Goals and Indigenous Farming Practices, and Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Urban Expansion: Learning from Grassroots Movements.
The event, chaired by Nana Appa Korankye VII, ended with a consensus that environmental protection requires a collective effort involving government, communities, and corporate stakeholders.
