Accra, Ghana- The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia, Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, has honored an invitation from the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency to participate in its 50th-anniversary commemoration.
The event, which gathered numerous executives including ministers, executive directors, partners, and past executive directors, took place at the Alissa Hotel in Accra on May 30th, 2024. It aimed to contemplate the historical, current, and future challenges of Ghana’s EPA.
The Executive Director of Ghana’s EPA, Hon. Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, highlighted the successes of Ghana’s EPA since its establishment by an Act of Parliament in 1994 (Act 490).
Executive Director Krugu mentioned that the EPA replaced the Environmental Protection Council (EPC), which was established by a Decree in 1994 (NRCD 239).
The EPC primarily served as an advisory body to the government of Ghana on environmental issues. The Executive Director of Ghana’s EPA listed the successes of the EPA over 50 years, including the formulation of guidelines for creating landfill sites, shaping key policies on climate change, pollution, and hazardous waste, and developing an environmental education manual for secondary school teachers to be used in all schools.
He mentioned the establishment of 80 regional and 30 area offices to strengthen environmental management and compliance at local levels. He also mentioned the formulation of the national oil spill contingency program, development of carbon market structures, preparation of the first-ever marine report, and formulation of the national action plan against desertification, among other achievements.
Despite these successes in its 50 years of existence, Hon. Krugu acknowledged numerous challenges confronting the EPA. These challenges include vast land degradation, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity, and climate change issues.
He urged global, regional, national, and sub-national efforts to address the issues, emphasizing this year’s theme as “protecting the environment, our collective responsibility.”
The keynote speaker Madam Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) expressed appreciation to Ghana’s EPA for the hard work that has led to the attainment of its 50th anniversary. She further called on EPA workers to reaffirm their commitment to the vision of a clean and more sustainable environment.
At this gathering, the Executive Director of Liberia’s EPA Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawo, and his counterpart exchanged pleasantries and ideas on various trending environmental issues confronting the subregion.
The two directors pledged to cooperate to maintain a sustainable and healthy environment for the current generation and generations to come.
Learning from the Ghanaian experience, Dr. Yarkpawo further emphasized the need for an environmental anthem. He said a proposal will be developed in the coming months to recruit artists who will do songs that align with the EPA’s vision, mission, and responsibilities.
The environmental leaders of both countries along with their delegates took photos as they unveiled a new logo for the Ghanaians’ EPA.
Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawo was escorted by senior members of his team including the Chief Technical Advisor, Mr. Ben Karmorh, newly appointed Chairman of the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) Mr. Z. Elijah Whapoe, the Project Liaison Officer, Mr. Desmond T. Thompson, and the Project officer at the department of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Mr. Arthur Becker.
Both the Ghanaian and Liberian teams expressed delight in meeting each other. A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, May 31, 2024, between Dr. Yarkpawo and his Ghanaian counterpart.
The Liberian EPA delegation is currently in transition in Ghana on its way to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 60th Session of the Subsidiary Bodies (UNFCCC SB 60) meeting, which is to be held in Bonn, Germany from 3rd to 13th June 2024.