Environmental Protection Authority — Ghana's regulator implementing plastic bans, air quality standards, and public health campaigns on waste burning and product safety.
The Environmental Protection Authority has announced a nationwide ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of polystyrene foam products, popularly known as Styrofoam or takeaway packs, effective January 1, 2027. …
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced that Ghana will officially ban the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of polystyrene foam products, commonly known as Styrofoam or takeaway packs, from January 1, 2027. …
… The Environmental Protection Authority, the primary body responsible for environmental regulation, monitoring, and enforcement has recently introduced the Ghana Online Continuous Emmission Monitoring System which is designed to track industrial emission in real time as they happe …
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has caused the arrest of a suspected illegal miner, identified as Abeka Gogo, following alleged environmental destruction linked to illegal mining activities at Adrekazo in the Nzema East Municipality. …
… Documents sighted by MyJoyOnline include an Environmental Permit issued by the Environmental Protection Authority to Kofreze Construction and Engineering Limited for small-scale surface gold mining and processing at Dadieso No. …
… In a speech read on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority, Nana Ama Browne Klutse described Ghana’s air pollution situation as alarming. …
Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has alleged that more than 3,000 contract staff were recruited at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) without proper financial clearance. …
… A developing institutional crisis at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), which poses serious risks to environmental governance, regulatory enforcement, and Ghana’s credibility in international environmental and climate commitments. …
A two-day multi-stakeholder forum on sustainable sand mining was held in Tamale to address the effects of unsustainable sand mining and other human activities on the White Volta River, with the goal of protecting Ghana Water Limited's intake source at Nawuni while sustaining community livelihoods. According to the Catholic Relief Services assessment, illegal sand mining around the Nawuni catchment, unsustainable farming practices, and deforestation are traced as root causes of declining water quality and quantity supplied to the Greater Tamale Area.
A two-day multi-stakeholder forum on sustainable sand mining was held in Tamale to address the effects of unsustainable sand mining and other human activities on the White Volta River, with the goal of protecting Ghana Water Limited's intake source at Nawuni while sustaining community livelihoods. According to the Catholic Relief Services assessment, illegal sand mining around the Nawuni catchment, unsustainable farming practices, and deforestation are traced as root causes of declining water quality and quantity supplied to the Greater Tamale Area.
Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority says emerging evidence of plastic particles in human bodies, including in women's placentas, supports the planned ban on single-use polystyrene food containers from January 1, 2027, as part of the National Plastic Management Policy to reduce pollution and protect public health.
Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority will ramp up public education and stakeholder engagement before its planned ban on single-use styrofoam food packaging takes effect on January 1, 2027, aiming to achieve voluntary compliance during the transition to environmentally friendly alternatives.
Open waste burning was Ghana's second leading cause of death in 2023, accounting for more than 32,000 deaths, with household pollution from solid fuels and waste responsible for about two-thirds of those deaths, according to the 2025 State of Global Air report. The report found that in Adentan Municipality, about one-third of households with waste collection access still burn excess waste, contributing to persistent coughs and worsening asthma in children.
Ghana's Gender Minister says human traffickers are increasingly using online platforms, fake job ads, and social media to lure vulnerable Ghanaians with false promises of employment and overseas migration. She called for coordinated action by parents, communities, media, and all citizens to combat the shift from traditional to digital trafficking methods.
Ghana will phase out single-use polystyrene (styrofoam) from January 1, 2027, replacing it with kraft paper and biodegradable containers to reduce plastic pollution and protect public health. The EPA says the transition promotes sustainable alternatives and some manufacturers have already begun adjusting operations ahead of the deadline.
The Breathe Adentan campaign has engaged staff and students at Frafraha Community Senior High School to raise awareness about open burning of household waste, Ghana's second-leading risk factor for death after high blood pressure. In Adentan Municipality, about one in three households with regular waste collection still burn excess waste in dug-out pits.
The government has announced six new regulations to facilitate implementation of the Environmental Protection Authority Act 2025, covering Environmental Assessment, Effluent Management, Air Quality, Ozone Protection, Petroleum Operations, and Certification of Air Conditioners. The EPA is training staff and stakeholders, and plans to recruit additional personnel and establish new district offices to strengthen environmental enforcement.
The Ashanti Regional Security Council and National Security impounded nine excavators in an anti-galamsey operation at the Airport Community in Obuasi Municipality. Officials from multiple agencies assessed land degradation at the site; the Deputy Regional Security Coordinator noted that three previously disabled excavators had been repaired and returned to operation by illegal miners.
Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority CEO has called on Ghanaians to stop using styrofoam products ahead of a nationwide ban effective January 1, 2027, warning that styrofoam is not biodegradable and poses environmental and health risks. The EPA is promoting a transition to biodegradable packaging alternatives and encouraging market traders and consumers to support the shift.
The Environmental Protection Authority's CEO warns that styrofoam's convenience comes at significant environmental and public health cost, and the EPA is launching a nationwide awareness campaign to educate the public on the ban of polystyrene foam takeaway packs.
The Wenchi Zonal Director of the Fisheries Commission says illegal mining around water bodies, particularly at the Bui Dam Reservoir, is causing fish production to decline in the Bono Region. She attributed the decline to chemicals used by illegal miners that have exterminated fish and affected water quality, and called for stronger law enforcement to curb galamsey activities.
The Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability has urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to take localised action on climate change, noting that its impacts are experienced differently by communities based on geographical vulnerabilities. The remarks were made at a stakeholders' engagement in Wa on plans to establish climate change and sustainability units in all MMDAs.
Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress Mustapha Gbande credited the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the National Strategic Coordinator with efforts that have reduced destruction to water bodies and forest reserves from illegal mining. He argued that some forms of small-scale mining, particularly alluvial mining, should be properly regulated rather than completely stopped in communities where mining remains the main livelihood source.
Ghana's Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability announced plans to establish dedicated Climate and Sustainability Units across all District Assemblies to drive local climate adaptation, enhance advocacy, and unlock global climate financing. According to the Minister, these specialised units will empower local authorities to track climate-related activities, implement advocacy programs, and establish Key Performance Indicators to attract critical funding.
The CEO of Rockland Farms has called for a 10- to 20-year legally backed national roadmap for Ghana's poultry industry, arguing that long-term policy certainty is needed to attract investment, increase local production, and strengthen food security. She noted that the sector lacks coordination among regulatory institutions and that while the government's 'Nkoko Nkitinkiti' initiative is positive, it should be complemented by broader commercial-scale reforms.
MTN Ghana's Chief Internal Audit and Forensic Officer says the company recognises stakeholders' contribution to its success as it marks 30 years in operation. He noted that what was once challenging, such as phone calls between Takoradi and Cape Coast, is now effortless, and that MTN's progress reflects Ghana's digital transformation story.
Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority has warned that one in every two children could be vulnerable to brain damage and reduced intelligence from lead exposure, following a study that detected lead in commonly used children's toys. The EPA called for regulators, manufacturers, importers and consumers to work together to ensure products meet safety standards.
A new generation of R290 air conditioning units with inverter compressors can cut electricity costs by up to 60% for households and businesses by using only the power needed for cooling, unlike older fixed-speed models that consume high amounts of energy through constant on-off cycling.
Ghana, Africa's largest gold producer and the world's sixth-largest, accounts for nearly 40% of total exports but faces deep mismanagement and corruption. Successive governments have failed to establish transparent mechanisms for tracking mining companies' investments, production, taxes, and royalties, enabling systematic underreporting and loss of revenue.
The Environmental Protection Authority closed Dukes Fuel Station at Kasoa Second Bus Stop in the Central Region after finding that drains surrounding the facility had become heavily silted, contributing to flooding along a major highway stretch. The closure was part of a joint environmental sanitation exercise by the EPA and the Municipal Assembly to clear drainage systems and reduce flooding risk during the rainy season.
The Adentan Municipal Assembly has formally handed over contract documents to Double A Imperial Construction and Engineering Limited for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Model Market and Lorry Station, expected to be completed in 30 months. The facility will include 132 lockable shops, 132 open sheds, a clinic, police and fire service post, market offices, and various other amenities.
Researchers, engineers and policymakers at the 2026 Mineral Waste Valorisation Research Conference called for innovative approaches to transform mining waste into valuable resources and reduce environmental impact, warning that unmanaged mine tailings and wastewater could become a major environmental challenge. The Ashanti Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Authority stressed that mining companies must ensure proper waste management and comply with regulations to protect water bodies, land and communities.
The article argues that Accra's perennial flooding is fundamentally a governance crisis rooted in institutional failures and inadequate urban planning, rather than a natural disaster cycle. The city's vulnerability stems from low-lying topography, an aging drainage system designed for a much smaller population, and a river network that existing infrastructure cannot accommodate.
A young woman, believed to be in her late 20s, was found dead hanging from a tree in a bush at Anyinamso No. 1 in the Atwima Mponua District; police are investigating to establish the cause of death and identify the deceased and her family.
Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh warned that Ghana cannot afford bureaucratic delays if it wants to unlock billions in green investment through the carbon credit market, and urged the government to simplify regulations, strengthen governance, and provide greater policy certainty to attract investors.
Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has urged the government to adopt strict standards for Ghana's emerging carbon credit market and reject low-quality projects to prevent carbon "greenwashing." He argued that the carbon market must be treated as a national development tool focused on genuine emissions reductions, community benefits, and private-sector investment, while calling for greater policy certainty, transparent approval processes, and clear distinctions between carbon market transaction categories.
Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has warned that Ghana could miss out on a growing global carbon investment market if government bureaucracy and regulatory uncertainty slow approvals. He told Parliament that Ghana has established the Ghana Carbon Market Office and recorded dozens of mitigation activities across multiple sectors, but must now move quickly to simplify regulations and strengthen institutions to attract investors.
Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has warned that Ghana should not rush into carbon credit agreements that could compromise its future climate obligations, and urged the government to treat the carbon credit market as a development instrument rather than simply as a commodity trading platform.
Ghana has established the Ghana Carbon Market Office within the Environmental Protection Authority to support Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, voluntary carbon market activities, and mitigation projects across energy, agriculture, forestry, and transportation sectors. The article argues the carbon market should be treated as a national development instrument delivering real emissions reductions, community benefits, and private-sector investment, with a focus on policy clarity and regulatory certainty.