Cabinet has ordered the immediate cancellation of Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, clearing the way for the Achimota Forest to fully regain its original status as a protected forest reserve.
The controversial executive order, which took effect on 1 May 2022, had earmarked approximately 361.5 acres (146 hectares) of the Accra landmark to be stripped of its conservation status. The initial directive had outlined precise boundary coordinates to excise these vast portions of the green belt.
The policy triggered fierce resistance from environmentalists, civil society organisations, and the general public.
Critics warned that degazetting the land would open the floodgates for commercial and residential developers, threatening one of the sole remaining urban forests in the Greater Accra Region.
Announcing the reversal during the Government Accountability Series, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, declared that the state is prioritising the preservation of the forest for future generations.
He emphasised that the decision aligns with the government’s duty to safeguard Accra’s ecological balance and protect neighbouring communities.
The Minister explained that the cabinet’s decision to strike down E.I. 144, alongside its amending instrument E.I. 234, effectively nullifies all prior boundary alterations.
Consequently, all previously excised portions will immediately revert to protected forest land under the law.
As a critical green lung for the capital, the Achimota Forest plays an indispensable role in carbon sequestration, temperature control, biodiversity preservation, and air purification, whilst remaining a cherished recreational sanctuary for local residents.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana