The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will deploy environmental officers to districts across Ghana to strengthen enforcement of environmental and sanitation laws, acting Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has announced.
Speaking during Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s visit to the Ministry, the Minister said the officers, locally known as “Tankas,” would give the EPA a presence in every district and help ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
“We need to make sure that the EPA has a presence in every district in Ghana and roll out environmental officers, what we locally know as Tankas, to ensure that people comply with our environmental laws,” he said.
Mr. Buah said Ghana already has adequate environmental legislation and that the focus should now shift to effective enforcement.
“The laws are there. It is basically about getting everybody to comply. If we do so, we will be fine, and I think we have to support the EPA to implement all that,” he said.
He added that while enforcement officers should not be heavy-handed, they must ensure that environmental laws are observed across the country.
“I won’t say they should be ruthless, but they must make sure people comply with our environmental laws,” he said.
The planned deployment forms part of the government’s efforts to strengthen environmental governance and improve compliance with sanitation and environmental standards nationwide.
