Stakeholders at Constitutional Review talks push to replace EPA with Commission
By: Ernest Afram
The Constitutional Review Committee has begun its nationwide zonal stakeholder engagement, with the first session taking place on Monday, June 16, 2025, in Bolgatanga.
The engagements form part of efforts to solicit citizens’ input into the ongoing constitutional review process, and already, environmental protection and traditional governance are emerging as dominant themes.
At the Bolgatanga session, several participants expressed concern about what they see as the Constitution’s inadequate attention to environmental issues. Chapter 20 of the 1992 Constitution addresses natural resource governance—focusing primarily on lands, mining, and forestry—but is largely silent on broader environmental protection.
One speaker criticised the limited powers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), describing it as insufficiently empowered to address the growing environmental challenges confronting the country. He proposed that the EPA be replaced with a constitutionally backed Environmental Protection Commission that would possess full legal authority and operational independence.
“In the Constitution, Chapter 20 addresses natural resources, but something very serious is missing, and that is the environment. The EPA exists, but its powers are limited. There is a need to establish an Environmental Protection Commission with legal backing, which should also be decentralized to operate in all regions and districts. Chiefs can then play a major role in collaborating with that commission to effectively tackle the country’s environmental menace.”
Another key issue raised during the engagement was the perceived marginalization of the chieftaincy institution in the current democratic framework. A participant lamented that traditional rulers, who historically played central roles in governance, justice, and land management, have been reduced to ceremonial figures with limited influence in national decision-making.
He argued that the National House of Chiefs should be restructured and elevated into a second chamber of Parliament, enabling chiefs to contribute meaningfully to the legislative process.
“The chieftaincy institution is noble. Chiefs are custodians of the land, and before colonial rule, they were the administrators and chief justices of this land. But today, we have been relegated to the background. We are often invited only as ceremonial guests. I propose that the National House of Chiefs be made a second chamber of Parliament so that chiefs can have a voice in governance.”
He further urged the government to desist from attempts to merge the chieftaincy institution with other ministries or departments, stating that the institution deserves independent, cabinet-level status.
Although he applauded President Mahama for fulfilling his promise to maintain a lean government with 60 ministers, he maintained that chieftaincy must be given the recognition and space it deserves within Ghana’s evolving democratic framework.
