Former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has urged Ghana to revive indigenous cultural norms and traditional environmental governance systems to help address the country’s worsening ecological degradation.
Speaking at a plenary session of the maiden College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS) International Sustainability Conference at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Kokofu said modern regulatory frameworks have proven insufficient on their own, and must be complemented by local knowledge systems.
The two-day conference, held under the theme “Sustainability through Social Inclusion, Business Innovations and Global Trends,” brought together academics, policymakers, industry players, government officials and development practitioners across Africa and beyond.
Dr. Kokofu said Ghana’s forebears had clear norms for managing land, forests, sacred groves and water bodies, but such systems have weakened over time, contributing to environmental destruction.
“We have chiefs and traditional authorities who are the custodians of our norms, traditions and lands. We must allow them to play their roles in upholding customs that protect the ecology,” he said.
He added that many young people have become detached from these cultural practices.
“Can there be a way to instill in the youth the understanding that you do not farm on certain days or pollute rivers, not only because of law but because we once believed rivers possess spiritual significance? The absence of this cultural knowledge has done us harm,” he said.
Dr. Kokofu also called for the revival of communal labour practices, where community members periodically clean their surroundings and sanctions are applied to those who fail to participate.
On industrial pollution, he said citizens must demand accountability from companies whose operations impact land and water, adding that preserving Ghana’s ecological legacy is a collective responsibility.
He further urged Parliament to pass a new Legislative Instrument to introduce stronger criminal provisions under the EPA Act.
“There are currently no punitive measures strong enough to deter offenders. We need criminal sanctions to punish those who destroy the environment,” he said.
Dr. Kokofu noted that while some mining firms self-regulate and carry out reclamation, environmental destruction in Ghana often goes unpunished, unlike countries such as China where sanctions are severe.
“Destroying the environment is equal to causing death to both the ecology and humanity, and should not be taken lightly,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, a High Court Judge and Adjunct Lecturer, urged industries to prioritise environmental sustainability as part of corporate social responsibility, stressing the need to balance “people, planet and profit.”
Professor Oswald Seneadza called for attitudinal change and the protection of vulnerable groups affected by environmental harm. He also advocated for compensation packages for communities impacted by climate change, land degradation and related ecological losses.
