By Edzorna Francis Mensah
Workers at the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have made a passionate appeal to the outgoing government, especially the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, to fast-track the passage of the Environmental Protection Bill 2024 into law, now.
The Divisional Chairman of the Public Service Workers Union of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Environmental Protection Agency, in person of Godsway Lawson Daniels, appealed in an interview with the media in Accra.
According to him, it’s important that the current Parliament, pass the bill to avert additional delay should it be brought before, the 9th Parliament hence “a very passionate appeal to Mr. Afenyo, the MP for Effutu and leader of government business in Parliament, to ensure the bill is passed into law during the life of this 8th Parliament”.
Chairman Daniels stated that a lot of work has gone into the bill and has gotten to its final stage and it will be the biggest disservice to the state and the environment if Parliament fails to pass it during the life of this 8th Parliament.
He also pleaded with the minority side of the house to support it when the bill is presented for the third reading when they resume public business in early January 2025.
The Environmental Protection Bill, 2024 standing in the name of the Minister of Environmental, Science, Technology, and Innovation, was advertised on the Order Paper Friday, 20th December 2024, for the third reading but could not be taken, and the speaker adjourned the house to 2nd January 2024.
Parliament on Tuesday, 20th February, at the ninth sitting of the first meeting of the fourth session of the eighth parliament of the Fourth Republic has taken the Environmental Protection Bill, 2023 through the second reading.
The Bill, when passed will provide a legal framework for coordinated efforts to address all environmental protection issues in the country. This Bill will consolidate the various dispersed Environmental Acts; the Environmental Protection Act, 1994 (490), The Pesticides Control and Management Act, 1996 (Act 528), and the Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Act (917) under one Act
The Bill seeks to establish the Environmental Protection Authority to regulate, protect, and exercise general oversight and coordination over all matters relating to the environment and climate change. The Bill re-enacts the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490) and introduces a Pesticides Management Fund. The Bill also re-enacts the Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Act, 2016 (Act 917) for consolidation.
