Civil society organisations have called for urgent constitutional reforms to tackle Ghana’s growing environmental challenges, warning that delays could undermine efforts to protect natural resources and ensure sustainable development.
The appeal follows the endorsement of several environmental governance recommendations contained in the report of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC), which seeks to transform Ghana’s democratic system and strengthen accountability in the management of public resources.
The endorsement was made during a meeting convened by the Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform (CPCR), where participants reviewed the Committee’s report titled Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy.
According to the organisations, Ghana faces increasing environmental pressures, including illegal mining, deforestation and stress on water resources, making constitutional reforms both necessary and urgent.
They argued that the proposed reforms could provide stronger safeguards for environmental protection while improving transparency and accountability in the governance of land, energy and natural resources.
Among the key recommendations receiving support was the introduction of a public trust doctrine that would place ownership of minerals, water bodies, public lands and other natural resources in the hands of the people, with the State acting as trustee for current and future generations.
The groups said such a framework would help ensure that public institutions manage natural resources responsibly and in the long-term interest of citizens.
The CSOs also welcomed proposals to embed environmental governance principles within the Constitution, including intergenerational equity, the precautionary principle and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for affected communities.
Additional recommendations endorsed by participants included the establishment of a Natural Resource Commission, stronger parliamentary oversight of resource management, Community Benefit and Heritage Funds, and tighter restrictions on compulsory land acquisition.
The organisations further supported proposals to recognise ecocide as a constitutional offence, although they called for clear legal definitions and robust enforcement mechanisms to ensure effective implementation.
While welcoming the report, the groups identified several areas requiring further attention, including stronger protections for environmental defenders, the adoption of the polluter-pays principle, operational measures for civic environmental responsibility and the establishment of a specialised Environmental and Natural Resources Court.
The Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform urged government to publish the full Constitution Review Committee report and provide a clear roadmap outlining implementation timelines, legislative actions and referendum processes required to bring the reforms into effect.
The Platform stressed that communities most affected by environmental degradation must remain central to the reform process and pledged to support public education and stakeholder engagement to ensure broad participation.
According to the organisations, the constitutional review process presents a unique opportunity to build a stronger framework for environmental stewardship, social justice and sustainable development for future generations.
