Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, is urging Ghana to take the lead in Africa by criminalising large-scale environmental destruction.
Addressing Parliament on Monday, he said the country must urgently enact legislation against ecocide, which he described as the mass destruction of ecosystems.
“Honourable Speaker, I rise today with a profound sense of urgency and responsibility to speak on a matter that transcends partisan politics, economic growth, and short-term development agendas.”
“I speak to the need for legislative action against ecocide — the mass destruction of ecosystems — and for Ghana to align itself with a growing global movement to make environmental devastation a punishable crime both domestically and internationally.”
He explained that ecocide has a clear legal meaning and goes beyond routine environmental violations.
“Ecocide, as defined by an independent expert panel convened by Stop Ecocide International, refers to ‘unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment’.”
“This is not abstract rhetoric; it is a legal concept with measurable criteria — damage that is severe, widespread, or long-term.”
According to him, the current international legal system does not adequately address environmental destruction.
“Mr. Speaker, the current legal framework in international law — notably the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court — lists genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.”
“Ecocide is not yet recognised as a standalone international crime during peacetime, even though environmental destruction today causes consequences on par with the gravest human rights abuses.”
He warned that the absence of such recognition creates a legal gap that allows serious environmental damage to occur with limited criminal consequences.
“This absence in international law creates a legal vacuum: corporations, state actors, and individuals can commit ecological destruction — deforestation, industrial pollution, oil spills, and climate-amplifying activities — with limited criminal liability.”
He cited the Niger Delta crisis as a stark example of environmental devastation.
“The Nigerian Niger Delta, for example, has suffered over 7,000 oil spills from 1970 to 2000, devastating water, soil, and human health, with full environmental restoration estimated to take decades.”
Despite the legal gap, he noted that several countries have already taken steps to criminalise ecocide.
“Globally, however, momentum is building to fill this void. At least 11 countries have already incorporated ecocide into domestic law.”
“In 2023, Belgium became the first European Union country to criminalise ecocide as part of its penal code revisions, demonstrating political will to hold those who cause severe ecological harm to account.”
He said Ghana faces its own environmental crisis and must respond decisively.
“As a country affected by deforestation, illegal mining (galamsey), and water pollution, Ghana’s ecosystems are under severe stress.”
“Recent reports indicate that up to 60% of our water bodies have suffered pollution due to illegal mining — a form of uncontrolled environmental degradation that threatens health, agriculture, and future prosperity.”
He argued that criminalising ecocide would affirm the country’s responsibility to protect future generations.
“Environmental stability is foundational to food security, human health, and sustained economic development.”
“The consequences of ecological damage are intergenerational — they affect our children, their livelihoods, and their right to a healthy environment.”
Annoh-Dompreh said Ghana also has an opportunity to lead the continent in environmental justice.
“By legislating ecocide as a crime, Ghana can position itself as a leader in environmental justice in Africa.”
He called for the passage of a domestic ecocide law, stronger enforcement powers for environmental institutions and tougher penalties for offenders.
“Protecting our ecosystems is not an optional policy. It is a fundamental commitment to future generations, to human dignity, and to the harmony between economic development and environmental stewardship.”
He also commended proposals under the Constitutional Review Committee to establish a national crime of ecocide and urged swift action to enact the legislation.
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