No Ownership, No Commitment - The Bane of Environmental Regulations in Ghana

Abstract

Until recently, most governments in developing countries had equated environmental protection to the conservation of natural resources. For African countries in particular, whose citizens were barely surviving against all odds, embarking on any rigorous environmental protection appeared to be a non-issue and a distant dream. Indeed, even occasional calls for proper management of industrial waste, for example, were treated as an attempt to slow down the pace of industrialization. This apparent lack of enthusiasm in environmental protection, coupled with the inordinate desire to break away from the shackles of poverty and deprivation, meant that a compelling catalyst was needed to bring both governments and the populace their responsibilities. Even after this recognition, the subsequent approaches of most governments remain lethargic, ad-hoc and uncoordinated, making the achievements of the objectives of such policies a mirage. Using mainly qualitative data, this study looks at the development of environmental protection in Ghana and examines the challenges facing authorities in enforcing environmental policies. It calls for political will, commitment and an integrated managerial approach to such policies if their objectives are to be achieved