The Journalists for Responsible Fisheries and Environment (JRFE) has commended the government for revoking Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, describing the decision as a major victory for environmental conservation and a significant step towards protecting Ghana's natural heritage.
The organisation said the immediate restoration of the Achimota Forest to its full legal status as a Forest Reserve reaffirmed the government's commitment to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development.
In a statement issued on July 15 2026, signed by the Executive Director of JRFE, Kingsley Nana Buadu, JRFE said the decision protected one of the country's most important urban forests, which played a critical role in absorbing carbon emissions, conserving biodiversity, improving air quality, regulating temperatures and providing ecological and recreational benefits for both present and future generations.
It noted that the revocation of E.I. 144, which removed about 361.5 acres of the reserve from legal protection, sent a clear message that Ghana remained committed to safeguarding its environmental assets.
The organisation praised the government, Cabinet, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission for what it described as a bold and timely intervention to preserve the forest reserve.
JRFE also acknowledged the sustained advocacy of civil society organisations, environmental campaigners, traditional authorities, the media and concerned citizens whose persistent calls for the protection of the Achimota Forest helped keep the issue on the national agenda.
Organisation
While welcoming the decision, the organisation stressed that restoring the reserve should mark the beginning of stronger and more sustained efforts to safeguard the forest against future threats.
It, therefore, urged the government to strengthen legal safeguards to prevent future attempts to declassify portions of the reserve without broad public consultation and the necessary parliamentary oversight.
Enforcement
The organisation further called for intensified enforcement against illegal encroachment, unauthorised development, logging and indiscriminate waste dumping, all of which continued to threaten the ecological integrity of the forest.
JRFE also recommended the clear demarcation and protection of the reserve's boundaries through modern mapping technologies, increased investment in ecological restoration programmes using indigenous tree species, and the implementation of a comprehensive management plan that promotes biodiversity conservation, environmental education and regulated eco-tourism.
