Environmental group Eco-Conscious Citizens launched the Eco-Conscious Citizens Friends of the Environment Manifesto today at Asanteson Gardens in La, Accra.
The manifesto is aimed at prospective parliamentarians and political parties, as 2024 is an election year in Ghana.
Elements of the manifesto formed part of Eco-Conscious Citizens’ Greening Ghana For Real petition to the government ahead of the 2023 Green Ghana Day initiative, majority of which have been endorsed by NDC MP and Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament Ranking Member Dr Abdul Rashid-Pelpuo.
The Eco-Conscious Citizens Friends Of The Environment Manifesto, as delivered by the environmental group’s coordinator Awula Serwah, is as follows:
1 Repeal E.I. 144 and withdraw L.I. 2462 within first 6 months of administration.
2 Pause Community Mining and enshrine rights of communities to reject mining in their localities within first six months of administration.
3 Ban single use plastics within your term.
4 Pass an Executive Instrument protecting wetlands and other ecological sites and prohibiting entry for purposes inconsistent with protecting ecological sites within the first six months of your administration.
Prohibit installation of utilities to wetlands and other ecological sites for dwelling houses and purposes inconsistent with protecting the said sites within the first six months.
5. Within the first year, pass a Legislative Instrument providing that if three or more noise nuisance complaints are made against an establishment, facility or individual in a residential or mixed residential area, the alleged noise maker will not be allowed to use sound amplification equipment until they can prove to the satisfaction of a court that the use of said equipment is no longer causing a nuisance.
“Whilst we want the politicians and political parties to sign up to our manifesto, it’s up to the citizens and media, to hold them to account,” said Awula Serwah.
“If the politicians and the government find the citizens are angry enough about any aspects of the manifesto, they will take it seriously.”
Finally, a coalition of civil society organisations is also working on another environmental manifesto, so there will be pressure on political parties to prioritise the environment within the campaign discourse.
