4th June, 2026
The News Editor,
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE: FROM GALAMSEY TO GREEN GROWTH: GHANA MUST CHOOSE LIFE
Accra, 5 June 2026 — Ghana joins the global community to mark World Environment Day 2026 under the theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.” The theme speaks to a simple truth: Ghana’s future will be no stronger than the forests, rivers, farms, wetlands and coastal ecosystems that sustain us.
Climate change is no longer a distant warning. It is already affecting rainfall, food production, water security, coastal communities, health, infrastructure and livelihoods. Across the world, greenhouse gas emissions have not fallen fast enough to protect vulnerable countries. At the same time, the finance promised to help Ghana and Africa adapt remains inadequate, delayed and uncertain.
Yet Ghana cannot allow global failure to become national paralysis. We must continue to demand climate justice, fair finance and technology support; but we must also act decisively at home. A cleaner environment and climateresilient development must become a national responsibility, not a slogan.
The first duty is to protect nature as critical infrastructure. Forests store carbon, regulate rainfall and protect watersheds. Rivers are not waste channels; they are life systems. Farmlands are the foundation of food security. Wetlands and coastal ecosystems shield communities from floods and erosion. Destroying these natural assets for short-term gain weakens Ghana’s economy, health, security and future.
This is why the galamsey menace must be confronted comprehensively and without compromise. Illegal mining is degrading forests, destroying agricultural
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lands, polluting rivers, threatening public health and weakening the very ecosystems that help us adapt to climate change. Ghana needs a permanent national response: stop mining in forests and water bodies; prosecute financiers, facilitators and collaborators; strengthen monitoring and transparency; reclaim degraded lands; restore polluted rivers; regulate legal small-scale mining responsibly; and provide decent alternative livelihoods for affected youth and communities. Galamsey is not only an environmental offence; it is a climate, food security, water security and governance crisis.
Ghana’s climate action must also advance sustainable development. We must climate-proof roads, drains, schools, health facilities, markets and housing. Farmers need early-warning systems, irrigation support, climate-smart extension services, agroforestry and resilient seeds. Cities and districts must invest in drainage, green spaces, sanitation, waste reduction, recycling and methane control. Energy and transport must become cleaner, more efficient and affordable, creating green jobs and opportunities for young people.
World Environment Day 2026 is not only a ceremony; it is a national mirror. Ghana must decide: will we leave behind polluted rivers, exhausted farms and disappearing forests, or will we build a resilient, green and prosperous future?
To be inspired by nature is to protect what protects us. For climate, we must act now. For our future, Ghana must choose life over destruction.
ISSUED BY FRIMPONG-MANSO INSTITUTE
Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso (President)
Dr. George Manful (FMI Thematic Chair – Environment and Sustainability)
For comments and queries contact Dr. George Manful – 054 893 7071
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