Cabinet has directed the immediate revocation of Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, paving the way for the full restoration of the Achimota Forest to its original legal status as a Forest Reserve.
Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, which came into effect on May 1, 2022, had declared that approximately 361.5 acres (about 146 hectares) of the Achimota Forest Reserve would cease to form part of the protected forest.
The instrument contained detailed survey descriptions outlining the specific portions of land that were to be excised from the reserve.
Its passage generated widespread public debate and criticism from environmental advocates, civil society organisations and sections of the public, who argued that removing the protected status of portions of the forest could expose the land to commercial and residential development, thereby threatening one of the few remaining urban forests in the Greater Accra Region.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, announced Cabinet’s decision, stressing that the government’s priority is to preserve the Achimota Forest for future generations.
According to the minister, the government’s position is firmly anchored on protecting the forest because of its environmental importance and its role in safeguarding the ecological balance of Accra and nearby communities.
He explained that Cabinet’s decision to revoke E.I. 144, as amended by E.I. 234, would effectively reverse the previous changes made to the legal status of the affected portions of the reserve.
Once the revocation takes effect, all the lands that were removed from the forest reserve under the Executive Instrument will revert to their previous legal status as protected forest land.
The Achimota Forest has long been regarded as a vital ecological safety zone, providing environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration, improved air quality, biodiversity conservation and temperature regulation, while also serving as an important recreational space for residents of Accra.
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