Prof. Frimpong-Boateng proposes dedicated fund to restore degraded lands, polluted rivers
Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has called for the creation of a statutory Environmental Restoration Fund dedicated solely to reclaiming mining-degraded lands and restoring polluted water bodies. He wants a fixed portion of Ghana’s mineral royalties channelled into the fund and protected from the pressures of the annual…
Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has advocated for the establishment of a dedicated Environmental Restoration Fund to address Ghana's mining-degraded lands and polluted water bodies. He proposed channeling a fixed portion of mineral royalties into the fund, protected from annual budget allocations.
The fund would be independently managed and overseen, with full disclosure of expenditures. This measure aims to prevent diversion of restoration resources during fiscal difficulties. Professor Frimpong-Boateng highlighted the need for a reliable funding source to restore approximately 23,853 square kilometers of degraded land, noting that the Ankobra River alone would require $400 million in rehabilitation efforts.
He also emphasized the importance of transparent annual accounts detailing restoration spending at each project site. Additionally, he called for an annual State of the Environment audit to be submitted to Parliament, providing independent data on key environmental indicators.
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